This issue of Research Dialogue reviews and examines how women have fared in retirement in the United States, and it provides a broad assessment of women's retirement prospects for the future. These issues have particular significance for TIAA-CREF and for others who serve TIAA-CREF's participants, as the majority of current participants are women. In this article, the authors examine and summarize a vast academic literature related to women and retirement, touching on issues ranging from the structure of the labor market to whether there are differences in risk preferences between men and women. After reviewing and analyzing this work, the authors provide some conclusions and several suggestions for public policy action in this area.
