Retirement can have many meanings. For some, it will be a time to travel and spend time with family members. For others, it will be a time to start a new business or begin a charitable endeavor. Regardless of what approach you intended to take, here are nice things about retirement that might surprise you.
- Many consider the standard retirement age to be 65. One of the key influences in arriving at that age was Germany, which initially set its retirement age to 70 then lowered it the age 65.¹
- Every day for the next 20 years, another 8,000 baby boomers will turn 65. That’s roughly one person every 10 seconds.²
- In 2013, people aged 65 and older accounted for 14% of the population in the U.S. By 2030, they are expected to make up for 20% of the population.³
- Ernest Ackermen was the first person to receive a Social Security benefit. In March 1937, the Cleveland streetcar motorman received a one-time, lump-sum payment of 17₵. Ackerman worked one day under Social Security. He earned $5 for the day and paid a nickel in payroll taxes. His lump-sum payout was equal to 3.5% of his wages.⁴
- In 2001, people aged 65 and older owned 31% of the U.S.’s financial assets. By 2040, it is estimated they will hold 44% of the country’s financial assets.⁵
- Nine of ten adults aged 65 years and older say they have taken at least one prescription drug in the last 30 days.⁶
- In 2014, nearly two-thirds (63%) of retirees depended on Social Security as a major source of their income. The average monthly Social Security benefit at the beginning of 2015 was $1,328.⁷
- Centenarians – those over age 100 – are primarily women. Only 57% of those over age 65 are women. But nearly 81% of centenarians are women.⁸
- Seniors spend a lot of time watching television and movies, about 3.7 hours a day.
Conclusion
These stats and trends point to one conclusion: The 65-and-older group is expected to become larger and have more influence in the future. Have you made arrangements for health care? Are you conformable with your investment decisions? If you are unsure about your decisions, maybe it’s time to develop a solid strategy for the future.
Postponing Retirement?
26% of workers now intend to keep working until age 70 and beyond. And 10% don’t intend to retire at all.
¹ʾ⁴ Social Security Administration, 2015
² AARP, 2015
³′⁸ U.S. Census Buresu, 2015. U.S. Census Bureau, 2014
⁵ National Bureau of Economic Research, 2015. (landmark study conducted in 2004)
⁶ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015
⁷Employee Benefit Research Institute, 2015 Retirement Confidence Survey; Social Security Administration, 2015
⁹ Bankrate, December 3, 2014
Copyright 2015 FMG Suite
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