With a civilian labor force of 4.5 million, Virginia leaders had a lot to think about when they realized a good chunk of those folks didn’t have workplace access to retirement savings. That’s all changing. We talk today with program director Peter Thompson about the present, the future, and what he’s seeing in this new space.

Even though many costs decline in the retirement years, health care costs increase. As people get older, they visit their doctors more frequently and use more prescription drugs. In addition, healthcare costs tend to outpace inflation. Retiree medical costs are a significant expense, and yet another reason why creating opportunities to encourage workers to save for their retirement years throughout their careers is so important.

This installment of Grant’s Go-To’s provides a mid-year roundup of the status of 2021 state-facilitated retirement legislative proposals.