News From The Employee Benefit Research Institute

The Employee Benefit Research Institute’s 2025 Financial Wellbeing Symposium This Thursday, December 11^th to Feature Guest Speakers Author Kerry Hannon and Ric Edelman, 3 Times Ranked the #1 Financial Advisor in the Nation by Barron’s

(Washington, D.C.) – The Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) will be holding its 2025 Financial Wellbeing Symposium this Thursday, December 11, 2025, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. in Washington, D.C.  The symposium is also available to view online via Zoom.  The event is offered to benefits and financial industry professionals who want to keep up to date with Americans' financial wellness issues.The event agenda includes:

9 a.m. - Welcoming Remarks, Discussion Update: outlining recent policy developments and what lies ahead for financial wellbeing and benefits policy.Panelists: Sara Vipond, Chair of the EBRI Financial Wellbeing Research Center and Senior Associate at Mercer; Craig Copeland, Director of Wealth Benefits Research, EBRI

9:15 a.m. - With the SECURE Act Just Beginning, What Have We Seen and Where Are We Going? Is Flexibility the Future? Panelists:Priya Punatar, Director, Workplace Research, Fidelity InvestmentsHolly Tardif, Director, Retirement, WTWBridget Bearden, Research and Development Strategist, EBRI

10:25 a.m. - Motivations Behind the Money: Understanding FSA and HSA Behavior.Presentation by Heather Ruff, Sr. Account Executive, Healthcare & Employee Benefits, VISA

10:50 a.m. - Designing Benefits for Meaningful Engagement.Panelists:Kathleen Slovin, Vice President, Strategic Research, Workplace Investing, Fidelity InvestmentsDavid John, Senior Strategic Policy Advisor, AARP Public Policy InstituteCraig Copeland, Director of Wealth Benefits Research, EBRI

11:30 a.m. - Financial Wellbeing Employer Survey. This presentation will review the 2025 results and compare large and small employers.Panelists:Jake Spiegel, Senior Research Associate, Health and Wealth, EBRISarah Faye Pierce, Paychex

11:55 a.m. - Networking Lunch

12:40 p.m. - Fireside Chat: Retirement Bites - A Gen X Guide to Securing Your Financial Future. A conversation exploring Retirement Bites, the new book by personal finance expert Kerry Hannon, and the unique challenges and opportunities facing Generation X in planning for retirement and long-term financial security.Speakers:Kerry Hannon, Personal Finance Expert and Author, Retirement BitesBarb Marder, President and CEO, EBRI

1:10 p.m. - From Child Care to Elder Care: Designing Caregiving Benefits Across Life Stages. Panelists:Elizabeth Myers, Senior Director, Thought Leadership, Bright HorizonsJohn Bowe, Director of Benefits, Johns Hopkins Health SystemsBrandon Massie, Director, Workforce Health Consulting, Kaiser PermanenteRodney Bolden, Executive Director, Head of Industry Engagement Morgan Stanley

2 p.m. - Financial Wellbeing Demands, Outcomes, and Outlook.Panelists:Manita Rao, Senior Strategic Policy Advisor, AARP Public Policy InstituteLisa Margeson, Managing Director, Retirement Research & Insights, Bank of AmericaZainab Noorali, Head of Retirement, Infosys Retirement Center of Excellence, InfosysAlana Baray, Director, Commonwealth

3:10 p.m. - Putting AI To Work: The Opportunities and Risks of AI in Workplace Benefits.Panelists:Edwin Jongsma, Vice President of AI and Integrations, Financial FinesseDeirdre Bertrand, Chief Operating Officer, CandidlyVidhi Sanders, Head of Participant Outcomes, Capital GroupGreg Ward, Director of the Financial Wellness Think Tank, Financial Finesse

4 p.m. - Afternoon Keynote: The 8 Biggies. The 8 biggest threats, fears, mistakes, and opportunities for you and your employees - and your families.Speaker: Ric Edelman, 3 Times Ranked the #1 Financial Advisor in the Nation by Barron’s

To register to attend this complimentary event in-person or online via Zoom, visit https://members.ebri.org/events/register.aspx?id=1988557https://members.ebri.org/events/register.aspx?id=1988557

To view the event’s agenda, panel discussion and speakers’ list, visit https://www.ebri.org/financial-wellbeing/financial-wellbeing-symposium.For further in-depth information about Ric Edelman, 3 Times Ranked the #1 Financial Advisor in the Nation by Barron’s, visit https://thetayf.com and background information about Author Kerry Hannon, visit https://kerryhannon.com.

The 2025 Financial Wellbeing Symposium is being held with the support of AARP, American Express, Bank of America, Candidly, Fidelity Investments, Financial Finesse, HealthEquity, J.P.Morgan Asset Management, Mercer, Morgan Stanley, Paychex, Prudential and Visa.

The Employee Benefit Research Institute is a non-profit, independent and unbiased resource organization that provides the most authoritative and objective information about critical issues relating to employee benefit programs in the United States. The organization also coordinates activities for the Center for Research on Health Benefits Innovation, Financial Wellbeing Research Center, Retirement Security Research Center and produces a variety of leading industry surveys during the year. For more information, visit www.ebri.org.