As the country grapples with the twin challenges of retirement security and inequality, innovative ideas like RISE are needed to address retirement security for all.

Jason Grumet, Founder and President, Bipartisan Policy Center

When so many Americans are struggling, when income and wealth gaps are so apparent, when hope and action are needed, policy makers, business leaders, educators, philanthropists, and others must step-up and tackle our most difficult challenges. One such challenge is retirement insecurity, a fear and reality for millions across our country. Social Security, investments, pensions, defined contribution plans, and other savings mechanisms all play a role in retirement readiness, but they are simply inadequate to provide financially secure retirements for every American. RISE is a bold plan to ensure that every American child can look forward to a financially secure retirement. This is the time for big ideas. RISE offers the opportunity to narrow gaps and change the financial futures of future American generations.

Paul Irving, Chairman Milken Institute Center for the Future of Aging
I am in full support of the RISE proposal; there are many campaigns and funds people currently support that are much less worthy than the future of our children. If I can get involved with a cause to help future generations to live outside of poverty, I will take full advantage.
Melvin Lambert, CRPC®, Financial Advisor Orlando, FL
I am in full support of the RISE proposal. Urban communities have systemically faced challenges in rising above poverty. When you live paycheck to paycheck, it becomes nearly impossible to save for your child’s retirement. RISE addresses this systemic issue so future generations can rise out of poverty and into a retirement that doesn’t rely on Social Security.
Omar Graves, Security & Infrastructure Manager Fairfax, VA

RISE is an important plan to supplement Social Security for future generations to ensure safe and secure retirements, especially for lower income Americans, by starting to fund retirement at birth. The funding mechanism is a very innovative approach that should be explored.

James Lockhart III, Former Deputy Commissioner and COO, Social Security Administration

The RISE proposal addresses the income inequity that persists for millions of American families—throughout life and across generations—who don’t earn enough money nor have access to retirement plans at work to save for retirement. Social security by itself doesn’t provide, nor was it intended to provide, an adequate retirement income. So, this is where having a supplemental stream of income as outlined in RISE can help lift all hard-working Americans into the middle class.

Isabel Cooper, RFC®, Financial Advisor Loudoun County, VA

RISE is just the type of innovative yet easily implemented proposal we need to brighten the future of hard- working Americans.

Michelle Muhammed, CFP®, ChFC®, Financial Advisor Silver Spring, MD

The RISE proposal is the most innovative solution to the problems that have plagued the Social Security system since its inception. This is the first proposal that implements a self-sustaining program that will not increase taxes for Americans and addresses the inequities in society to give future generations a chance to achieve financial security.

Jennifer Shintani, AAMS®, CMFC®, CRPC®, Financial Advisor Costa Mesa, CA

Despite increasing recognition that income inequality has been increasing and upward mobility decreasing since the 1940s, solutions have been hard to come by. For many Americans, lifetimes of low wages and intermittent unemployment place retirement saving entirely out of reach. We owe it to the youngest among us to provide paths to financial security in old age and RISE represents exactly the kind of out-of-the-box thinking we need.

Laura L. Carstensen, Ph.D., Fairleigh S. Dickinson Jr. Professor in Public Policy Director, Stanford Center on Longevity Stanford University

I am in support of Rise. I am encouraged and it is not an exaggeration to say that RISE can change the lives of many for the better for decades to come. The future support and financial impact will live on, generation after generation. We have seen the difference that can be made when people are provided financial support and we can uplift even more with RISE.

Daniel Humphrey Jr., Air Force Veteran Financial Planner Charlotte, NC
RISE is an important starting point to help the United States meet retirement goals for all Americans. It is an innovative and life changing solution that will start at birth and enable many adults and families to retire comfortably. When reading the RISE proposal, I thought immediately of how my family’s life would have been dramatically affected had this been in place and I look forward to this being available for future generations.
Lakeisha Hill, CFP®, Financial Planner Fairfax, VA

The finance and economic research based on cross country data revealed that financial development spurs economic growth, entrepreneurship and innovation (King & Levine, 1993) and helps reduce poverty and income inequality (Beck et al., 2007). However, the literature has been pretty much muted on how to foster poverty-reducing financial development. Thus, the RISE proposal is a clear demonstration of “finance in action.” This innovative proposal to help reduce poverty and income inequality in the U.S. can be elegantly put into use to benefit the society at large.

Ihsan Isik, Ph.D., Professor of International Banking and Finance Department of Accounting and Finance William G. Rohrer College of Business Rowan University