Every week, there seems to be a new retirement confidence survey. For those who are saving and planning, no worries. But others may have some issues.
A recent survey from Corporate Insight shows that Americans fall on either side of the spectrum: Either they have been saving diligently or will fall short.
“Confidence and caution are generally sensible characteristics,” notes Kara Melber for CI. “However, when it comes to retirement planning, an excess of either can be disadvantageous.”
What are future retirees thinking? Here are some snapshots:
– Approximately half of respondents reported feeling worried about outliving their retirement funds.
– Concerned future retirees sometimes invest conservatively in order to protect their savings, but the over-cautious can miss out on growth opportunities available in a riskier asset mix, as their portfolios may ultimately buckle under inflation, stunting their savings.
— Once in retirement, some people are extremely cautious with spending. Asset manager BlackRock reported that most current retirees have only spent 20% of their nest egg two decades into retirement.
– On the opposite end of the spectrum, some retirement planners are overly confident. According to Corporate Insight’s A Roadmap of the Financial Wellness Ecosystem, 25% of respondents claim that they are “very confident” in their ability to afford their desired retirement lifestyles.
