Book excerpt: Financial market developments over the past decade have undermined what was once thought to be conventional wisdom about saving, investment, and retirement spending. How Persistent Low Returns Will Shape Saving and Retirement explores how the weak capital market performance predicted for the next several years will shape pension saving, investment, and decumulation plans. Academics, policymakers, and industry leaders debate alternative strategies to cope with these challenges globally, as economic growth remains slow and low returns become the 'new normal.' This volume includes contributions from plan sponsors, benefit specialists, actuaries, academics, regulators, and others working to design resilient pensions for the next decades. Together, they identify several new tools for retirement savers and pension managers.