US Labor Department to hold women’s retirement forum July 28 at University of Illinois-Chicago

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration will hold a free women’s retirement savings forum on Saturday, July 28, 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. CDT, at the University of Illinois-Chicago, Student Center East Building, Illinois Room A, 750 S. Halsted St., Chicago, Ill. 60607. “What Every Woman Should Know About Retirement Savings and How to Make It Last” will be open to the public and the media.

Women are more likely than men to leave and re-enter the workforce during the course of a career. Combined with a longer life expectancy, this reality can result in inadequate retirement savings. The forum is designed to help attendees overcome such challenges, understand what they can do now to increase their savings and learn what to guard against when they seek out investment advice.

“For a host of reasons, women are more likely than men to have smaller savings or even no nest egg at all when heading into retirement. It’s a problem that can be made more severe since women tend to live longer than men,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employee Benefits Security Phyllis C. Borzi. “It is important that both women and men saving for retirement have the information needed to prepare for a secure retirement and avoid potential pitfalls in the savings marketplace. We intend for this forum to be a helpful tool for those giving thought to how they will spend their golden years.”

The event will feature panel discussions as well as remarks by Borzi; Hubert H. “Skip” Humphrey III, assistant director, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Office for Older Americans; Doug Nguyen, deputy regional communications director, Social Security Administration; Lara Hinz, director of programs, Women’s Institute for a Secure Retirement; and Joseph C. Peiffer, attorney and member, Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association. Christine Benz, director of personal finance for Morningstar, will moderate the forum. Additionally, free educational materials will be available to all attendees.

Space is limited, and members of the public who wish to attend this forum must register in advance with Meredith Regine, who may be reached at regine.meredith.e@dol.gov or 202-693-8300. Members of the media planning to cover the forum should notify Mike Trupo or Jason Surbey in the Labor Department’s Office of Public Affairs using the contact information above.

U.S. Department of Labor news materials are accessible at www.dol.gov. The information above is available in large print, Braille, audio tape or disc from the COAST office upon request by calling 202-693-7828 or TTY 202-693-7755.