Top 8 Enlightening Retirement Statistics & Facts
- Over 50% of people who dont retire at 65 keep working by choice
- People aged 44 to 49 have $113,370 in retirement savings
- The retirement savings in Virginia are approximately $240,199
- Women mostly start saving for retirement at the age of 26
- Almost 9 out of 10 retirees who are 65 or older receive social security benefits
- Around 10,000 baby boomers retire daily
- 48% of workers retire early
- An average retired couple needs approximately $295,000 for medical expenses
Making The Most Of It
Despite what the financial data show, in 2018 55% of boomers reported satisfaction with how things are going in their lives versus 47% in 2017 and 43% in 2016. Although retirement savings might be lacking among baby boomers, theyre finding ways to live happy lives despite the financial belt tightening.
Great Retirement In Us Driven By Older Female Baby Boomers
The surge in U.S. retirements during the COVID-19 pandemic was led by older White women without a college education, according to research by the St. Louis Federal Reserve. The so-called Great Retirement trend that saw workers leave the labor market whether forced or by choice was driven by baby…
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Boomers Plan To Prioritize Themselves Over Their Children
Even as more young adults are living with their parents, baby boomers arent letting their children sway their retirement goals, according to the Schwab study.
About 2 in 3 baby boomers believe they would rather spend money in retirement than leave an inheritance for their children. Four in 10 believe their quality of life in retirement will be better than that of their children.
The stresses of election, global warming and the pandemic make them a little bit more concerned about the long term future for their children, Williams said, who are also going through financial challenges with college education.
Dhara is a reporter Yahoo Money and Cashay. Follow heron Twitter at .
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Times Your Final Salary
Aon Hewitts 2015 Retirement Income Adequacy at Large Companies study says 11 times your final salary level is a good target to aim for to retire at 65 and maintain the same standard of living based on average life expectancy. It takes into consideration future medical costs and inflation.
When doing this calculation, dont forget to factor in an average inflation rate of 3% or so for every year. To do this, multiply your yearly salary by 1.03 and take 65-75% of that number. For the year after that, youll have to multiply the original result of yearly salary times 1.03 by another 1.03 and take 65-75% of that number and add it to the total. There are a number of calculators available online to help you do this.
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Americas Retirement Savings Gap
America has a retirement savings gap to match our income gap. People with higher incomes are more likely to have retirement savings and their average retirement savings are higher, too. Meanwhile people with the lowest incomes have no savings and plenty of debt. That shouldnt come as a huge surprise, but its one of the most notable features of the U.S. retirement savings landscape.
It may be counter-intuitive but those near the top can still have big retirement savings gaps. Think of a high-earning family with an expensive mortgage and kids in private school. They may not save much for retirement, and their high standard of living means there would be a big gap between the income theyre used to and the retirement income theyve saved.
Think lower-income folks can simply work longer and retire later to make up for their lack of savings? Not so fast. Americans with lower incomes may be the ones least able to work into their late 60s and 70s, either because their work is too physically demanding or their employers wont want to keep them on. Its a good idea even for white-collar workers not to count on working later as a substitute for retirement planning.
Retirement: Average Boomer’s Savings Would Only Last Seven Years Study Finds
The average baby boomers savings will last only seven years in retirement, a new study found, unless they curb their spending during their golden years.
Boomers on average have $920,400 saved for retirement, the Charles Schwab survey of 2,000 Americans aged 55 to 75 with at least $100,000 in investable assets found. But they expect to spend $135,100 per year to sustain their ideal lifestyle in retirement, meaning their savings would run out after seven years.
Boomers in this study have been saving for retirement and are confident, but for many theres a potential gap between what they have saved and the retirement theyre envisioning, said Rob Williams, vice president of financial planning of Charles Schwab. The reality is that they may come up short.
So how do they expect to stick with this vision? By working more and putting their needs first.
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The Different Types Of Retirement Savings
The ideal retirement plan involves generating multiple streams of income to provide both stability and tax flexibility in retirement. Here are a few potential components of a well-diversified retirement plan:
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Cash savings. Having liquid cash reserves in a high-yield savings account is a good safety net for retirees.
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Retirement accounts. 401s and traditional IRAs, which are funded by pre-tax contributions, can significantly boost your retirement savings. On the flip side, Roth IRAs and Roth 401s, which are funded with after-tax dollars, can help you manage your taxable income in retirement.
In addition to savings and investments, you can also tap into various sources of guaranteed income in retirement. Guaranteed income streams are insulated from market volatility, making them safer and more reliable.
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Income annuities. Similar to Social Security and pensions, annuities provide fixed monthly income. Because you often receive those payments for life, they reduce the risk of outliving your savings in retirement.
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Whole life insurance. In addition to protecting your loved ones, a permanent life insurance policy accumulates cash value over time. Because itâs guaranteed to grow, this accumulated value can also serve as a cash reserve or a source of income, particularly during market corrections or recessions.
Baby Boomer Retirement And Emergency Savings Come Up Short
To get a better idea each generation’s financial health, is we asked 1,000 Americans what they’d do with a $10,000 gift. The common consensus is Boomers are well-off and financially stable â you might expect well-aged Baby Boomers would invest in a month-long cruise or a sizable down payment on a shiny new car.
Instead, we found that 36% of Baby Boomers would pay off existing debt, and 53% â more than any other generation â would stash away the money for an emergency fund. Millennials were almost three times as likely as Boomers to spend that money on whatever they wanted, indicating Baby Boomers are more money-conscious than any other generation.
We also found that 31% of Baby Boomers do not have an emergency fund in place.
32% of Generation X, 38% of Millennials, and 53% of Generation Z indicated they didnât have any emergency funds saved. This suggests saving money is an American problem, not just a problem for Baby Boomers.
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Job Loss May Be A Factor
Pew researchers say job losses may be a dominant factor in this wave of retirements, probably at the hands of the COVID-19 recession. Since February 2020, the number of retired boomers has increased by nearly 1.1 million.
Pew couches that number by saying that some of this increase could reflect seasonal change in employment activity. But running the numbers from February to September period in 2019, the population of retired boomers increased by only about a fourth of what happened last year.
Another interesting metric is that the share of retiring boomers differs by education attainment. The number of boomers who finished their education when they graduated from high school are up two points since February, and those who completed a four-year degree are up one point. For those who had some college education, but didnt walk away with a diploma, theres been no change at all.
Start Looking At Social Security Planning
An important step in planning for retirement is Social Security Planning, specifically when to take your social security payments. Evan Press, managing partner at Pacific Coast Wealth Strategies recommends holding off on payments as long as possible.
Delaying your payment each year from age 62-70 gets you an 8 percent increase each year you delay. This can have a profound effect on what you collect and your ability to retire comfortably, Press explained. Delaying is typically recommended as long as possible unless there is a health concern. The breakeven on waiting to collect until age 70, is roughly age 80. This means if you live past 80, you are better off waiting age 70 to collect. This plays a role if a spouses social security is much less than the retirees.
Solomon also pointed out that working three more years after turning 66 can improve yearly retirement income from Social Security and savings by 50 percent or more. Which is something to consider when looking toward a comfortable retirement.
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Ways To Catch Up On Your Retirement Savings
At age 60, you may find that youâre a bit shy of your retirement savings target. The good news is that there are ways to catch up. For 2021, if youâre 50 or older, youâre allowed to make up to $6,500 in extra 401 contributions and $1,000 in additional IRA contributions. Or, depending on your financial situation, you may choose to work a bit longer until you hit your target goal.
What does the average 60-year-old have saved for retirement? A better question may be, how much do you need to save to support your unique vision for retirement? An experienced financial advisor can help you create both short- and long-term plans for achieving that goal.
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What Will Your Life Look Like At 60
As you get closer to your 60s, youâll want to start thinking about what your life is going to look like in retirement. Letâs say you see yourself working until youâre 65. In this scenario, youâll be eligible for Medicare â a detail that could significantly reduce your health care expenses in retirement. But if you plan on exiting the workforce before you turn 65, youâll be on the hook until you qualify for Medicare, which will increase your expenses.
There are additional considerations to think through: For instance, if you anticipate downsizing to a smaller home or moving to a town with a lower cost of living, you probably wonât need as much savings than if you plan to stay put. Or, if youâre planning to retire early, thatâs going to require a larger nest egg to fund your remaining years.
Ultimately, youâll need to get a sense of what you might need to fund your lifestyle on a monthly basis. In addition, youâll need to know how many years your nest egg might have to last.
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Not Properly Calculating A Retirement Savings Goal
Not having a retirement savings goal makes it harder to save enough for retirement. Think about it if you havent set a goal, how will you know how much you want to save? On average, only 25% of boomers have tried to run the numbers without a financial advisor. And of those with a financial advisor, only another 25% have set a monetary goal.
Is This A Crisis
Whether or not this can be called a crisis depends on which Boomers are being discussed, including the types of assets they can access. Boomers who own their own homes in an area with a lower cost of living may be able to live on quite a bit less than a rent-paying retiree in a major metropolitan area.
According to the Social Security Administration, 90% of retirees today receive Social Security benefits, in contrast to only 69% of retirees in 1962. The average Social Security benefit is $1,503 per month in 2020, substantially less than the average wage, which is approximately $3,668, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
For many retirees, leaving work can mean a sometimes drastic lifestyle adjustment. Mark Hebner, president and founder of Index Fund Advisors, Inc., explains it the following way:
“Aside from solely relying on Social Security, looking to downsize your home, moving to a more affordable state, relying on public transportation, and having a robust budget that itemizes discretionary and non-discretionary items are all a good start. The most important thing is that retirees have the right mindset about their lifestyle in retirement. This is why it is important to start making lifestyle adjustments before you retire.”
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Retirement Savings When You’re In Your 50s & Beyond
Suggested savings: The general guidelines recommend having eight times your annual salary saved by 60. The median income for a 55-year-old is about $57,500, which means having $460,000 saved for retirement.
Average savings: The average savings for those 55-65 is $197,322, and the average for those over 65 is $216,720.
Your “official” retirement age is usually defined by when you’re eligible to receive full Social Security benefits. For most people right now, that’s between the ages of 65 and 67, depending on when they were born. Retirement is right around the corner. Now is the time to review your savings strategy and portfolio allocation. You might want to start rebalancing your portfolio to reduce potential risks and maximize your long-term savings.
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How Much Is Needed
Given that I live in New Zealand I can tell you that the average amount money needed in the bank to live a comfortable modest lifestyle retiring at 65 is NZ$750,000.
In the US in order to enjoy a US$ 65,000 annual income you need to have US$1.2 million banked at 65.
In The UK figures quoted to achieve an annual income 42,000 pounds sterling per year are 600,000 pounds sterling invested at age 65.
Of course these figures are generalisations and while they will give a very rough idea, of course everyones situation, commitments, expectations are different.
These figures are aimed at a very modest living standard but for some readers they may be a surprise. Sadly for some readers they may even be unobtainable, though there is a potential solution depending on what effort and commitment of time you might be willing to make.
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Baby Boomers Retirement Statistics
Growing up in an era when employment was readily available, baby boomers are perhaps better off than the generations that followed. Their income rate, according to a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, was growing at the rate of 2% a year. This is quite impressive, especially when compared to the present times.
So, this is one of the answers when this very common question pops up:
What is the baby boomer generation known for?
They grew up at the time when everything looked peachy and bright, something that the younger generation did not get to enjoy. They might have done a fairly good job of ensuring that Social Security and Medicare are protected at retirement, but they failed to make sure it is fully funded for future generations.
That is why it is quite interesting to see how baby boomers fare when it comes to the question of retirement. Here are some stats to help you understand:
23. On average, 10,000 baby boomers turn 65 every day.
People who were born in the baby boomer generation are now either in retirement or fast approaching these golden years. In fact, there are some 10,000 baby boomers who are turning 65 every day. This brings the baby boomer retirees number to 34 million as of 2019.
24. Baby boomers need to retire if employers are to provide career growth for younger employees.
And no, Millennials and Gen Xers arent simply overreacting:
25. 45% of baby boomers have no retirement savings.
Now:
Heres the scoop:
Retirement Savings When You’re In Your 30s
Suggested savings: Guidelines often recommend having three times your annual salary saved by 40. The median income for a 35-year-old is approximately $48,000, which means having $144,000 saved for retirement.
Average savings: The average retirement savings for those 35-44 is $72,578.
Here’s where you can start seeing the recommended numbers diverge from reality. Many Americans struggle to save for retirement, but there are steps you can take to help reverse course. In your 30s, focus on boosting your 401. If your employer offers matching contributions, take advantage of them by contributing enough to maximize your employer’s match. Continue to focus on paying down debt and review your budget.
You have a long horizon to retirement, so you have plenty of time to leverage compound interest to potentially grow your investments .
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Boomers Should Keep Skills Up To Date
Survey Results: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only about one in five Americans age 65 and older were working in 2016. The low number of workers in this age group could be for many reasons, one reason being jobs not being available for these workers. Only 42% of Boomers report that they are proactively keeping their job skills up to date. Boomers must take steps to enhance their knowledge, skills, and abilities if they plan to continue working.
Action to Take: Learn a New Skill
Identify a weak spot in your skills or knowledge related to your work and make a plan to address it. Your employer may offer training or know where you can get it. There are also multiple in-person or online courses that may be available. Check into other resources such as books, websites, or newsletters. Bottom line: Never stop learning!
