More employees are working beyond age 65—not only by choice, but often because they’re not financially prepared to retire. This shift creates a notable ripple effect across organizations, influencing cost structures, mobility, and long-term workforce strategy. A new Principal® analysis reveals that delayed retirements create a measurable cost impact, but those costs vary significantly by industry.  As the retirement landscape evolves, many organizations are rethinking how they support long-term financial security for their workforce. Employees want the ability to retire when they feel personally and financially ready, and employers want to help make that possible. When people can retire on their own terms, it creates space for thoughtful workforce planning, smoother transitions, and a healthier overall workplace. Employers can support those outcomes through thoughtful plan design. Automated features—such as auto enrollment, auto increase, and annual re-enrollment—help employees start saving earlier, stay engaged, and build confidence in their retirement readiness. When employees can retire on time, organizations benefit from lower long-term costs, improved mobility, and a more resilient talent strategy. Join managing directors of Enhanced Plan Design at Principal for a practical, data-driven conversation on: • What’s driving delayed retirement across industries. • How delayed retirement affects employer cost structures and why the impact varies by sector. • Scalable ways plan design—especially automated features—can influence retirement readiness, often at a cost lower than a single year of delayed retirement. • Practical design actions to support employee readiness.

In the 2026 PLANSPONSOR Roadmap: Health Benefit Fiduciary Duties livestream series, leading experts will deliver practical guidance and resources to help plan sponsors and advisers understand and implement CAA provisions; confidently meet fiduciary responsibilities; and build robust processes aligned with ERISA requirements.

JW Marriott Nashville, Tennessee

Besides findings from PLANSPONSOR’s annual Defined Benefit Administration Survey, our panel will discuss trends in the defined benefit plan sector. Speakers will also talk about ongoing management of DB plans—whether closed, frozen or active—and benchmarking DB plan providers. With many corporate DB plans now overfunded, the panel will also discuss ways that sponsoring companies can use their plan’s surplus.

The PLANSPONSOR Participant Survey examines the attitudes and behaviors of American workers participating—or not—in an employer-sponsored retirement plan. We’ll explore findings about respondents’ participation and saving decisions, retirement expectations and most-valued benefits. Speakers will suggest what the findings mean for retirement plan design, benefit offerings and participant engagement.