Pension systems and labor markets have witnessed radical changes in most of the western countries. The worldwide financial and economic crisis and more recently the European debt crisis further accelerated the ongoing pension reform process, given the tighter state budgets. These changes have far-reaching consequences for the households, who are required to make their own provisions to shoulder longevity and income risks.

In order to improve our understanding of the behavioral responses to institutional changes, surveys on household finance have been set up in many countries. In Germany, the SAVE survey is a pioneer, and the Panel on Household Finance (PHF) run by the Deutsche Bundesbank is the latest newcomer. The Munich Economic Center for the Economics of Aging (MEA) and the Deutsche Bundesbank are organizing a conference on “Demographic Trends, Saving and Retirement Security: Stylized Facts and Behavioral Responses” to be held in Munich, Germany on July 12-13, 2012. Aim of the conference is to bring together young and established researchers with an interest in households’ financial behavior.