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Multi-Sponsor Opportunities

Greenwald & Associates is always looking for and developing great research ideas.  Multi-sponsor projects offer unique opportunities for partnership, collaboration and innovation, and can deliver reliable and actionable research in a cost-effective manner.  These are our current and ongoing multi-sponsor opportunities.

The Retirement Confidence Survey (RCS)

Tracking consumer trends in retirement since 1989, Greenwald conducts the annual Retirement Confidence Survey (RCS) in partnership with EBRI.  The RCS examines the attitudes and behaviors of American workers and retirees toward all aspects of saving, retirement planning, and long-term financial security.  The RCS is the preeminent benchmarking study on retirement confidence.  It is well-known, comprehensive and respected.  The most recent RCS, released in March 2011, was featured in hundreds news articles, and was posted on over 75 websites. 

Sponsors have the opportunity to participate in the revision of the questionnaire (in October and November of the year prior to fielding the survey), attend an underwriters' briefing on the survey results (in late February), and are encouraged to utilize the survey materials and findings for their own research, marketing, and product development purposes.

For more information, visit EBRI's RCS website or contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it at (202) 686-2510 x138.  Become an RCS sponsor today!

The Health Confidence Survey (HCS)

Conducted each year in partnership with EBRI, the Health Confidence Survey (HCS) tracks a broad spectrum of health care issues, including health care costs, coverage, and quality, as well as reactions to possible policy changes.  With health care reform likely to be at the top of the 2012 agenda, and with Baby Boomers moving up the age wave, the need for a clear understanding of the American public's attitudes on health care has never been greater.

HCS underwriters have the opportunity to participate in the revision of the questionnaire (typically in March and April), attend a pre-release briefing on the survey results (in late August or September), and are encouraged to utilize the survey materials and findings for their own research, marketing, and product development purposes.

For more information, visit EBRI's HCS website or contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it at (202) 686-2510 x138.

The Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey (CEHCS)

The annual Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey (CEHCS) provides reliable, trended data on the growth of consumer-driven and high-deductible health plans and their impact on the behavior and attitudes of consumers.  Specific topics include enrollment trends, attitudes and satisfaction, and use and spending on health care services among individuals with account-based health plans, high-deductible plans versus those with more traditional health plans.  This is a pioneering and comprehensive study on the issues related to consumer-driven health care.

Funders are invited to join an advisory board that provides oversight to the project, offering input on topics and specific questions to be addressed.  Funders will also have the opprtunity to discuss the findings before they are publicly released.

Read more about the 2010 CEHCS and contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it at (202) 686-2510 x141 about funding opportunities.

The Greenwald Strategy Service for Annuity Research

Over the past five years, the Greenwald Strategy Service (GSS) has provided important insights on how to design and present products that offer income to retirees in the most effective manner.  We have also developed new financial planning approaches and concepts to present these products.

This year, we have noticed a trend toward "return to income basics."  The financial turmoil of the past year and continuing concerns about outliving resources indicate that interest in guaranteed lifetime income products and other products to produce income will remain high.  At the same time, we've seen a shift in interest away from complex living benefits products.  The financial crisis has prompted a reaction away from complex equity-based products and a lack of trust in anything consumers do not understand.  Nonetheless, these products still offer some unique benefits, and we still want to explore ways to design and position them.

The latest round of GSS research aims to give our clients a greater understanding of how advisors approach the challenge of generating income for their retired clients, how advisor views toward asset allocation and specific products for retirees are changing, which product designs are most effective, and how to best present income products.

Beginning in Spring 2010, the GSS will feature: 1) a survey of 250 financial advisors, which will provide trend data based on surveys conducted in 2007 and 2009, and 2) eight focus groups on how advisors design programs to produce regular income for retired clients, their reaction to several retirement income products, and input on the most effective ways to present them.

Clich here to read the full GSS proposal or contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it at (202) 686-2510 x101.

Testing the Design and Features of Indexed Annuities

The indexed annuity appears to be on the verge of taking off in the marketplace.  With Rule 151A now dead and the SEC having little to no interest in reviving it, the product is more likely to gain traction in the industry mainstream, as companies sitting on the sidelines awaiting resolution of 151A will now start looking at it.  In this environment, WZ Research + Consulting, LLC and its Principal Walter Zultowski (formerly of Phoenix) is teaming with Brian Perlman of Greenwald & Associates to offer a valuable multi-sponsor study that will provide extensive exploration of these issues for a relatively modest price.  The project will consist of six focus groups and only costs $15,000 per sponsor.  Groups will be held in late October 2010.  Sponsors will be involved in guide design, can observe groups, and will receive a full report of the findings.

Read more in the full proposal or contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it at (202) 686-2510 x145.

The 401(k) Experience and How To Improve It For Participants

Perhaps now more than ever, defined contribution plan providers are trying to create a better relationships with plan participants to increase contributions, improve satisfaction, and keep assets under management after retirement.  Providers are also seeking to reduce costs and serve participants with greater efficiency.  Together with KK & Company, Greenwald & Associates has designed a research plan aimed at providing providers with information to help meet these goals in an environment that has caused many participants to be skeptical.

Through an online survey with 1,000 employees who participate in a defined contribution plan through work, our research objective is to provide an enhanced understanding of the way participants currently evaluate their experience and their provider, enabling providers to develop new and advanced programs that help motivate higher contributions and generate higher satisfaction ratings at lower cost.

For more information about this study, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it at (202) 686-2510 x101. 

Gen X and Gen Y's Use of Technology and Social Media in Financial Decision-Making

Now in its third year, the aim of this study is to gain deeper insight into the types of technological capabilities -- website functions, apps, online communication and social media interaction -- Generation X and Y consumers want and expect from the financial companies they work with.  This year's study will include a survey of 1,000 adults ages 21 to 46 that explores the importance of key technology-related capabilities, like online chat features and integrated customer service systems, and dives into interest in specific types of smartphone and tablet apps.  We will also conduct focus group research with these younger consumers on the use and influence of social networking websites, like Facebook and Twitter, and what consumers think of financial companies' presence in these forums.  Many studies measure young people's use of social media, smartphones and other technologies, but our study focuses exclusively on use of these online tools and mobile devices when interacting with financial services companies.

This project is scheduled to begin in December 2011.  Please read the 2011 proposal for more information or contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it at (202) 686-2510 x108.