Today's guest, Catherine, shares insight on how Social Security works, the best time to file for Social Security, how divorce, widow, and Social Security disability benefits work (and what to know if planning), what women should consider when filing for Social Security, and more.
With almost three decades of experience, Catherine Collinson is the founding CEO and President of nonprofit Transamerica Institute and its division Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies. She is an expert on longevity, retirement, and market trends.
Catherine champions Americans who are at risk of not achieving a financially secure retirement. She oversees all of the organization’s research and outreach initiatives, including the Annual Transamerica Retirement Survey.
Catherine is regularly cited by top media outlets on aging and retirement-related topics, speaks at industry conferences, and authors articles. She has testified before Congress on matters related to employer-sponsored retirement plans among small business, which have featured the need to raise awareness of the Saver’s Credit among those who would benefit most from the important tax credit.
In 2024, Catherine received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Plan Sponsor Council of America for her contributions to the retirement plan industry and dedication to improving retirement outcomes for employees.
In 2018, she was recognized an Influencer in Aging by PBS Next Avenue for her work in continuing to push beyond traditional boundaries and change our society's understanding of what it means to grow older.
In 2016, Catherine was honored with a Hero Award from the Women’s Institute for a Secure Retirement (WISER) for her tireless efforts in helping improve retirement security among women.
She serves on the leadership council of the Milken Institute’s Center for the Future of Aging, the executive committee of the Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association (DCIIA), the advisory board of WISER, and the editorial review board of the Retirement Management Journal.
Since joining the organization in 1995, she has held a number of positions and has identified and implemented short and long-term strategic initiatives, including the founding of the nonprofit Transamerica Institute and its Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies.
Prior to her employment at Transamerica, Catherine spent nearly a decade at The Walt Disney Company, serving in information technology and business planning posts.