The Role of Emergency Savings in Financial Wellness
Alison Salka, Ph.D.1/14/2021
Emergency savings — a need and an opportunity.
Summary
There is a great need for emergency savings and an opportunity for employers to support their employees. Learn about employee concerns and how employers can help.
As the COVID-19 pandemic propelled consumers down the path of holistic financial wellness, its growing importance spurred LIMRA to work with a task force of association members to define and measure consumer financial wellness.
Financial wellness in the workplace is increasing in visibility and importance, and is usually tied to retirement savings programs. Research explores how plan advisors deliver wellness programs and what they look for from recordkeepers and asset managers.
LIMRA conducted a series of qualitative studies to identify growth opportunities and better understand consumer needs, attitudes, and barriers to financial protection. Key insights revealed opportunities to expand engagement by improving financial education, simplifying products, building trust, and delivering more personalized, culturally relevant experiences.
Alison Salka joined LIMRA in 2012 and led the member benefits and research division from April 2014 until April 2024. She was responsible for driving the strategy and direction of its global research program. As principal research consultant, she is focused on thought leadership designed to help companies better understand industry issues and trends. She is a frequent industry speaker and has testified before the Department of Labor. Before joining LIMRA, she worked at Prudential and MassMutual. She has a Master’s degree from the College of William and Mary and Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University.