Baby Boomers Retirement Prospects

Summarizes the results of a research on the economic status of the baby boomers and compares their financial prospects with their parents' generation. Presents projections of the income and consumption of the baby boomers at the age of 65.

Over the past 15 years, the retirement prospects of the baby-boom generation (people born from 1946 to 1964) have become a source of public concern. Some experts contend that low saving by boomers could limit economic growth in the U.S. & compound the financial pressures that face gov't. programs such as Social Security & Medicare. This CBO study updates & expands on a 1993 CBO report on the retirement preparedness of boomers. It places the baby-boom retirement issues in historical & policy context, describes the methodologies used to analyze that issue, reviews numerous studies of retirement preparedness that have been published since 1993, & draws general conclusions from their findings. Graphs.

This paper examines the financial prospects of the baby boomers in their elderly years. The paper primarily attempts to draw together and summarize results found by other researchers, but a few new estimates are presented. The consensus of the research appears to be the following. Up to this point, the baby boom generation as a whole has a higher economic status than their parents' generation did at the same ages, but this does not hold for some subgroups. When it becomes elderly, the baby boom generation as a whole probably will have a higher economic status than their parents' generation has and will have at those ages, but, again, this may not hold for some subgroups. It is uncertain whether the baby boom generation as a whole will have enough resources in retirement to maintain their preretirement standard of living without increasing their saving or retiring later, but some subgroups will be able to maintain their living standard without changing their behavior.

As the leading edge of the 'Baby Boom' generation attains age 60, members of this unusually large cohort born 1946-66 are poised to redefine retirement - just as they have restructured educational, housing, and labor markets in prior days. Looking ahead, their numbers and energy are sure to have a major impact on national pensions, healthcare, and social safety nets. Contributors to this volume note that 'Boomers' will be better off than their predecessors in many ways, having benefited from the long run-up in housing prices, dramatic improvements in healthcare, and the expanding economy. On the other hand, the generation's sheer size will surely squeeze resources and require new approaches to retirement risk management. This volume paints a complex and fascinating picture as Boomers move into retirement. On average they are in better financial and physical health than prior cohorts, and they can be anticipated to fare better than current retirees in absolute terms. Yet the distribution of retiree income and wealth will be less equal than in earlier years, and in relative terms, many Boomers will be less well off than their forebears. Contributors to the volume use many invaluable models and datasets, including the incomparable Health and Retirement Study (HRS) which affords unique insights into the status of mature adults surveyed at the same age and hence same point in their life cycles, but at three different time periods. Analysts offer new evidence about prospects for health and income during retirement, as well as pensions and housing equity, health, portfolio allocation, and financial literacy. This book offers readers an invaluable and first book-length study of Boomers as they march into retirement. As such, it represents an invaluable addition to the Pension Research Council/Oxford University Press series. It will be especially useful for scholars and policymakers seeking to understand retirement preparedness, to actuaries and tax specialists concerned with retirement system regulation, and to plan sponsors interested in the determinants of work and retirement at older ages.

The current workforce demography and the emergent job market have put at risk millions of baby boomers' retirement prospects in the U.S. alone. This is now also a global problem. Many, who were anticipating joyous sunset years, have suddenly awakened to the dire future they now face. Since the job-market meltdown triggered in 2001, many have resigned to the idea that the emerging rules for success are beyond them. Regroup, conquer these rules, and learn how to: Reinvent yourself and reengage in ways that you thought out of reach Discover your genius and redefine your value proposition Uncover and then vanquish brand-new job challenges to vivify your everyday life Make your career immune from economic cycles Find meaning in your work and bring back joy that eluded you! Master the art of aligning your purpose with possibilities Retire the word 'retire" from your vocabulary and stop working for a living Eliminate stress from meaningless work Enjoy what you do; live even longer and thrive Proven strategies, object lessons, and handy tools make Rehired a must-have playbook for those frustrated with their stalled careers or worried about their future.