Between 2015 and 2018, AARP in Kentucky commissioned research to gauge the opinions of small business owners and registered voters about a state retirement savings program. Both polls show strong support by both employers (70%) and voters (74%) for a state retirement savings program and both samples of respondents agree that elected officials or lawmakers should support a state retirement savings program (Registered voters agree: 85%; Small Business Owners agree: 84%).
In the 2015 AARP survey, four in five (81%) Kentucky registered voters ages 35–64 are concerned about Kentuckians having insecure retirements due to low retirement savings. Many are anxious (66%) about their own retirement savings, and most wish they had more money saved for retirement.
In the 2018 survey of Kentucky small business owners, many (56%) report they are concerned about their employees having money in retirement to cover living expenses in retirement and concerned that many could end up relying on public assistance rather than their own savings (79%).
Three-quarters of Kentucky registered voters (74%) without access to an employer retirement savings plan say they would take advantage of the opportunity if available. Likewise, 61 percent of small business owners in Kentucky say they would be likely to offer a state retirement savings option if made available.
The 2018 AARP Kentucky Small Business Owner Survey was a telephone study among 454 small business owners or decision makers about employee benefits at companies with 1–100 additional employees. Interviews were conducted May 7–June 8, 2018 in English by LHK. Sample, including owner names and companies, came from a Dun & Bradstreet business list.
The 2015 AARP Kentucky Work and Save Survey was a telephone survey conducted in English by Precision Opinion from August 13–August 27, 2015 among 1,000 registered voters age 35–64. The sample utilized a voter list.