What Retirees Don’t Know: A Conversation on Retirement Income Literacy
Includes a Live Web Event on 09/30/2026 at 12:00 PM (MDT)
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Retirement decisions often hinge on knowledge consumers do not realize they lack. In this session, Jamie Hopkins, co-creator of the Retirement Income Literacy Study, interviews Eric Ludwig about findings from multiple waves of consumer research and a companion study of financial advisors. They explore persistent retirement-income knowledge gaps, the disconnect between confidence and actual understanding, the impact of working with an advisor on retirement outcomes, and links between professional designations and advisor literacy. The conversation concludes with practical strategies for improving client education, identifying misunderstandings, and communicating expertise clearly without overwhelming clients while helping advisors build trust through informed conversations.
Competency Level: Intermediate
FPA Competency: Critical Thinking
CFP Board Topic: Retirement Savings & Income Planning
CFP Board CE Credit Hours: TBD
- Identify at least three major areas in which older Americans demonstrate low retirement-income literacy.
- Distinguish demonstrated retirement-income knowledge from self-assessed knowledge and explain why the difference matters in client conversations.
- Apply findings from the consumer and advisor studies to improve client education and evaluate professional-development priorities.
Eric Ludwig, Ph.D., CFP®, RICP®
Director, Center for Retirement Income
The American College of Financial Services
Eric T. Ludwig, Ph.D., CFP®, RICP®, is Director of the Center for Retirement Income, RICP® Program Director, and Associate Professor of Retirement Income at The American College of Financial Services. His research focuses on retirement income, investor behavior, retirement literacy, and the use of financial advice. He is also co-founder and CEO of Stockbridge Private Wealth Management and author of The Retirement Specialist. Ludwig regularly translates academic research into practical guidance for financial professionals and has received national recognition for his applied retirement-planning research.
Jamie Hopkins, Esq., MBA, CFP®, LLM, CLU®, ChFC®, RICP®
CEO of Bryn Mawr Captial Management and Chief Wealth Officer of Byrn Mawr Trust and WSFS
Jamie P. Hopkins is the Chief Executive Officer of Bryn Mawr Trust Advisors and Chief Wealth Officer of WSFS and Bryn Mawr Trust. Jamie is also the author of the new best seller, Your Retirement Sketchbook.
Jamie is a graduate of Temple University School of Law, where he received his LL.M., and Villanova University School of Law, where he earned his juris doctorate. Hopkins earned a master’s degree in financial planning from The American College of Financial Services and a master’s degree in business administration from Villanova University.
A Wall Street Journal best-selling author, educator, and executive speaker, Jamie serves on numerous advisory boards around the financial services industry and formerly as a national trustee member of NAIFA. Jamie is also the founder and president of the 501(c)(3) non-profit, FinServ Foundation and was named as a top 10 Investopedia 100 Top Financial Advisor for 2023.
Stephen J. Resch, CLTC
Vice President Retirement Strategies Division
Finance of America
Steve Resch, CLTC, is Vice President of Retirement Strategies for Finance of America, where he leads education and training programs for financial professionals. Steve is also an investment advisor, partner in a wealth management firm, and designer of ""The Reverse Illustrator,"" a proprietary program that graphically displays the flexibility and options that a reverse mortgage can bring to a financial plan. Steve is a subject expert source and frequent speaker at both national and regional professional conferences and has been interviewed by various media outlets including Yahoo Finance, Nasdaq Trade Talks, MarketWatch, Barron's and more.
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