Joins Congressionally-Sanctioned “National Save for Retirement Week”
Urging Individuals to Save More as Demographics Continue to Shift
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE: BLK) today launched a new digital retirement
center to coincide with the congressionally-sanctioned “National Save
for Retirement Week,” which runs from October 21 through 27. Individuals
are encouraged to visit The BlackRock Retirement Center to access
insights, resources and tools at www.blackrock.com/retirement.
The BlackRock Retirement Center features practical and relevant
age-based content and insights to help individuals better prepare for
retirement in what BlackRock has called a “New World of Investing,” in
which yields are low, markets are volatile and confidence is scarce. The
age-based content assists investors with defining needs, identifying
goals and providing actionable steps when saving and investing for or
during their retirement.
The launch coincides with BlackRock’s observation of “National Save for
Retirement Week” – a national event sanctioned by Congress to promote
retirement savings among Americans and to encourage employees to
participate in their employer-sponsored retirement plans.
“One of the most important human achievements of our time is people are
living longer,” said Robert Kapito, President of BlackRock. “But we
cannot continue to allow the blessing of longer lifespans to become a
burden - safeguarding financially secure retirements is the defining
challenge of our society.”
BlackRock Investor Watch a nationwide survey fielded in
September, found many respondents to be more concerned than ever before
about retirement planning – and they are taking action. The survey found
that 70 percent of investors are initiating conversations with their
financial advisors about retirement. The complete set of findings from BlackRock
Investor Watch will be released in the coming weeks.
“At BlackRock we feel an enormous responsibility to the investors we
serve,” Mr. Kapito said. “Of the $3.6 trillion in assets under
BlackRock’s management, two-thirds are in some way related to
retirement. Behind the pension funds and 401ks we manage, and the mutual
funds and ETFs we sell are real people facing real challenges, and they
are depending on those assets. They are firefighters, teachers, parents
and students and all of them are or will be retirees.
“With the launch of the retirement center, we hope to reach people of
all ages who can benefit from our insights and digital resources. When
it comes to retirement savings, no action is too small; however,
starting early is a critical factor in building retirement income over
time.”
To highlight the people that BlackRock serves, the Company is also
launching today advertisements in the United States emphasizing the
importance of providing secure retirements for those who protect, teach
and serve Americans nationwide.
Features of the BlackRock Retirement Center
BlackRock’s new digital retirement resource center is intended to help
make a difference in retirement planning by consolidating relevant
content, insights and practical tools in one place that reflects the
Firm’s commitment to fiduciary responsibility and investment excellence.
The digital retirement center offers access to engaging and digestible
content across these age groups:
Each “age tab” takes users on a “digital journey” that includes relevant
content and statistics, motivational insights, interactive tools and
charts, and engaging infographics.
Specifically, topics and insights are presented in an age-appropriate
way. For example, the topic of “Longevity” for a 22-year-old includes
insights about turning decades of future earnings into retirement
security, while the same topic for the 62-year-old emphasizes that a
retirement of two to three decades may still await an individual. As
another example, content around Social Security differs for the
45-year-old who will read about “separating facts from hype,” while the
65-year-old learns more about tactics and scenarios for optimal benefit
collections. Insights around “Age Appropriate Investing” are found in
each section as well.
The website also features:
-
The
Define Your Retirement Tool ™: Provides an interactive way for
all investors to “visualize” their retirement goals, resulting in a
personal profile that will launch a conversation and, ultimately, a
plan that can be implemented with the assistance of a financial
advisor.
-
Just
One Thing: Users can subscribe to simple, clear weekly tips to
“j.o.t. down” and use, in hopes of improving the way they think about
both saving for and spending in retirement.
-
Additional features include a changing line-up of educational videos,
infographics and interactive polls to educate investors and financial
advisors more about the new world of retirement.
About BlackRock
BlackRock is a leader in investment management, risk management and
advisory services for institutional and retail clients worldwide. At
September 30, 2012, BlackRock’s AUM was $3.673 trillion. BlackRock
offers products that span the risk spectrum to meet clients’ needs,
including active, enhanced and index strategies across markets and asset
classes. Products are offered in a variety of structures including
separate accounts, mutual funds, iShares® (exchange
traded funds), and other pooled investment vehicles. BlackRock also
offers risk management, advisory and enterprise investment system
services to a broad base of institutional investors through BlackRock
Solutions®. Headquartered in New York City, as of
September 30, 2012, the firm has approximately 10,400 employees in 29
countries and a major presence in key global markets, including North
and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East and
Africa. For additional information, please visit the Company's website
at www.blackrock.com.
Media:
BlackRock, Inc.
Catherine Keary
212-810-5237
Catherine.Keary@BlackRock.com
or
Farrell
Denby
212-810-8034
Farrell.Denby@BlackRock.com
Source: BlackRock, Inc.