Dreams of Living Well in Retirement Dim for Americans: Esp. Women, Gender Gap, Student Debt
-Dreams of Living Well in Retirement Dim for Americans - Bloomberg, Feb. 22, 2016.
More Americans are worried about their quality of life in retirement. Confidence about being able to save enough to ensure "a desirable standard of living" dropped this year, according to a new report. The worry was particularly strong among women.
Some 52 percent of individuals surveyed view their retirement prospects negatively, down 3 percentage points from last year. Only 47 percent of women said they were saving enough for their golden years, compared with 57 percent of men.
That gender gap is one of many differences in savings behavior found in the ninth annual America Saves Week survey, released by the Consumer Federation of America (CFA). The poll, a representative sample of more than 1,000 nonretired Americans, found gender gaps in 12 areas. A big one: 74 percent of men surveyed said theyd made progress in savings, compared with 67 percent of women. The percentage of men reporting good or excellent progress in saving for retirement was also higher, at 44 percent to womens 36 percent. (To be fair, 10 percent of men and 17 percent of women said they were guessing about how much they'd need to live comfortably in retirement.)
The most important reason for the gender gap in savings is differences in income and wealth, said Stephen Brobeck, the CFAs executive director, as mens larger incomes and financial assets make it easier for them to save. As of 2014, the average woman made 79 cents to every mans dollar. Research also suggests that student debt haunts women longer than it does men.
An October 2015 study by Financial Finesse, a financial education company, found that for a 45-year-old woman's retirement savings to equal a man's, she'd have to save $126 for every $100 the man set aside. The company cited lower Social Security benefits, longer life expectancy, and smaller retirement savings balances because of lower-paying jobs as the big factors leading to a shortfall in retirement savings for women. (cont.)
Read More: http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/money/dreams-of-living-well-in-retirement-dim-for-americans/ar-BBpPDgf?ocid=spartandhp
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)This survey is a feel good one,and the real story is yet to be told. Even if say half the folks think they will be able to survive financially,willing to bet it is more like 30 plus will be viable in the five years. Have been following all these so called feel good stories coming out of Wall Street,and some of us are doing okay,but from what we see day to day,it is not happening. And their are Democrats who want chained CPI and Medicare only for the well to do. Give us a break.
Skittles
(153,169 posts)what's disappearing now is the prospect of LIVING in retirement, PERIOD