Skip to Content

Boomers worry retirement won't be what they had hoped

More
Text SizeAAA

Filed under: Budgets, Retire, Health, Travel

With home prices and their 401(k) accounts falling, Baby Boomers can forget about retiring to the beach in Florida and playing golf all day. Instead, they're worrying about paying the bills.

The top financial concern for people 45 and older is now paying for food, shelter and other basic needs, according to a global survey by the Hartford Financial Services Group published on RedwoodAge.com, a Web site targeted to people older than 45.

About a third of the average retirement nest egg has been lost in the financial markets, according to the report. Hartford's data shows that half of Americans over 45 are worried about getting by on a daily basis in retirement, and the numbers are higher overseas, where many European countries have guaranteed pensions.

The study also found that 43% of Americans said they're concerned they won't have enough money to enjoy life, 27% said they're worried about running out of money before they die, and 16% of Americans said they may not be able to afford health care. With an average stay at a nursing home costing $80,000 per year, not having enough money in retirement is a scary thought.

While retiring to Florida or other sunbelt locations may be difficult, some Boomers are looking at retiring in Mexico, where home prices can be half as much as they are in the United States, according to a developer in Mexico. Maybe that's one way to solve the problem of paying bills -- convert them to pesos.

Aaron Crowe is an unemployed journalist in the San Francisco Bay Area. Read about his job hunt at www.talesofanunemployeddad.blogspot.com

Subscribe to Walletpop

Featured Sponsor

Will you spend as wisely as you save?

If a 65-year old couple retires today, how much savings may they need now to cover future health care costs?



What are the Next Hot-Spots in the Luxury Resort Scene?
Luxist Awards asked three of our Expert Panelists, all veterans of the travel industry, about the ...
The Luxist Awards for Best Accessories
Do you know of a magnificent jewelry line with pieces that are to die for? Which is the finest ...

Ask Me About Retirement

Dan Solin

Do you have a question about retirement? Ask our retirement expert Dan Solin.

Marlene Alexander
Marlene Alexander Filed under: Saving Money, Shopping, Charity, Black Friday

On Friday, pink is the new black

If you want your Christmas shopping dollars to go further and support a great cause, then the Pink Friday charity fundraiser is the answer. Systemax Inc., whose companies include CompUSA, Tiger ...
Janean Chun
Janean Chun Filed under: Credit, Wealth, 101 credit&debt

Best platinum cards for status spenders and rewards seekers

Remember the days when gold credit cards were the gold standard? Then platinum credit cards became the new mark of exclusivity. Since then, the platinum of platinum credit cards have morphed into ...
Bob Cesca
Bob Cesca Filed under: Food, Shopping

Fighting for a free turkey as consumer confidence improves slightly

My wife and I occasionally shop for groceries at a supermarket that allows customers to collect points towards coupons, giveaways and other discounts. This year, we collected enough points to get a ...
Josh Smith
Josh Smith Filed under: Shopping, Black Friday, Cyber Monday

Cyber Monday: Expect it to come several times this year

Cyber Monday deals traditionally come once a year, the Monday after Thanksgiving, when online retailers cut prices to lure in workers who have returned to work but still need to get some shopping ...

Retirement Basics

Retirement Basics

Should I Convert My IRA to a Roth IRA?

$
$

Headlines from WalletPop Partners