Event Information:
Date:
Tuesday, April 14, 2026
Time:
9:00 AM – 4:15 PM CT
Location:
Parents Hall, Olmsted Center at Drake University
Live Stream on The Harkin Institute YouTube channel.
Registration:
This is a hybrid event but registration is required for in-person attendance. Attendees have the choice to attend in-person at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, or virtually.
The in-person event will take place at Parents Hall in the Olmsted Center at Drake. Lunch will be provided. If you are unable to attend, please email harkininstitute@drake.edu, or cancel through Eventbrite to help us minimize food waste.
Online attendees will watch a livestream and will have the opportunity to participate in Q&A.
Accommodations:
American Sign Language (ASL) and live captioning (CART) will be provided for all main stage content, in-person and virtually. ASL for in-person breakout sessions available upon request. Those requests, as well as any additional accommodation requests can be made by emailing harkininsititute@drake.edu.
Event Summary:
The 2026 Harkin Retirement Security Symposium will focus on a broader financial wellness theme supported by panels along the continuum of retirement security policy issues.
The speakers will discuss policies supporting retirement savings access and accumulation, navigating Social Security and Medicare, and the intergenerational impacts of these programs, access to retirement planning, retirement income decisions, and long-term care policies and supports.
Agenda for the 2026 Harkin Retirement Security Symposium
| Time | Session | Speakers |
| 8:30 a.m. | Breakfast and Registration |
|
| 9:00 a.m. | Welcome Remarks | |
| 9:10 a.m. – 9:40 a.m. | Morning Keynote | |
| 9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. | Panel 1: Retirement Income Strategies – Global Lessons and the US Landscape |
|
| 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Panel 2: Social Security Reform and Economic Security in Retirement |
|
| 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Networking lunch and community partners tables exhibit | |
| 1:00 p.m. | Awards presentations | |
| 1:10 p.m. | Afternoon Keynote Speech: Strengthening Retirement Security: The Role of Public–Private Partnerships |
|
| 1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. | Panel 3: Targeted Economic Security Programs: ABLE Accounts, Emergency Savings, the Federal Saver’s Match, Student Loan Match |
|
| 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. | Caregiving supports | |
| 4:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. | Closing remarks | |
Speakers to be announced in the coming weeks
Address: 2800 University Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50311
Phone: (515) 271-3623
Email: harkininstitute@drake.edu
Office Hours: Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.