2010 Retirement Confidence Survey ASEC Meeting

2010 Retirement Confidence Survey2010 Retirement Confidence Survey

ASEC MeetingASEC Meeting

Mathew Greenwald & Associates, Inc.4201 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 620

Washington, DC 20008Phone: (202) 686-0300 Fax: (202) 686-2512

Mathew Greenwald

April 14, 2010

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2010 RCS Methodology

• 20th annual measure of worker and retiree confidence about retirement, conducted by EBRI and Greenwald & Associates

• 1,153 20-minute phone interviews conducted in January 2010 using random-digit dialing with cell phone supplement

• Interviewed Americans ages 25 and over

• Two questionnaire versions- 902 interviews with workers (not retired) - 251 interviews with retirees

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Worker confidence about having enough money for a comfortable retirement is basically unchanged over the past year.

Overall, how confident are you that you (and your spouse) will have enough money to live comfortably throughout your retirement years? (2010 Workers n=902)

21% 25% 25% 24% 27%18% 13% 16%

51% 47%40% 44% 43%

43%41% 38%

19% 18%17%

17%19%

21%22% 24%

8% 10%17% 14% 10%

16% 22% 22%

1995 2000 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Very Somewhat Not Too Not At All Don't Know/Refused

Source: Employee Benefit Research Institute and Mathew Greenwald & Associates, Inc. Retirement Confidence Surveys

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The percentage of workers very confident about having enough money for basic expenses has increased.How confident are you that you (and your spouse) will have enough money to take care of your basic expenses during your retirement? (2010 Workers n=902)

38% 40% 35% 35% 40%34%

25% 29%

49% 44%42% 47% 42%

45%49% 46%

9%9%

11%9% 11% 12%

14% 13%

3% 7% 11% 9% 7% 9% 11% 12%

1995 2000 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010



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Belief in stocks show signs of rebounding.Please tell me how well does the following statement describe you: Over the long-run – 10 to 20 years – you believe stocks in general will be a very good investment (2010 Workers n=902, 2010 Retirees n=251)

17%

17%

28%

14%

13%

25%

35%

31%

40%

32%

17%

23%

52%

48%

68%

46%

30%

48%

2010

2009

2000

2010

2009

2000

Very Well Somewhat Well

Workers

Retirees


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The decline in confidence in having enough money for medical expenses continues.How confident are you that you (and your spouse) will have enough money to take care of your medical expenses during your retirement? (2010 Workers n=902)

17%24% 20% 19% 20% 18% 13% 12%

37%

42%38% 42%

46%

37% 42%37%

26%

19%

21%20%

18%

21% 22%25%

15%13%

20% 17% 14%22% 22% 26%

1%

1995 2000 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010



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The decline in confidence about doing a good job preparing financially for retirement continues.How confident are you that you (and your spouse) are doing a good job of preparing financially for your retirement? (2010 Workers n=902)

25% 28% 26% 25% 26% 23% 20% 21%

47%49%

46% 50% 45% 48% 49% 43%

18%13%

12%14% 15% 16% 16%

19%

10% 10%16% 12% 13% 12% 14% 16%

1995 2000 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010



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Have you (or your spouse) tried to figure out how much money you will need to have saved by the time you retire so that you can live comfortably in retirement? (2010 Workers n=902)

53%

42% 42%43%

47%44% 46%

32%

51%

1995 2000 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Respondent Respondent and/or Spouse

The percentage of workers saying they have done a retirement needs calculation has not returned to 2000 level.


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How did you (or your spouse) determine this amount? Did you…? (Among workers giving an amount needed for retirement) (Top mentions, multiple responses accepted)

14%

46%

33%

9%

16%

11%

1%

70%

10%

5%

9%

3%

<.5%

0%Did Calculation (n=452)

Did Not Do Calculation (n=413)

Guess

Read or hear that is how much needed

Fill out a worksheet or form

Advice of family or friends

Use an online calculator

Do your own estimate

Ask a financial advisor

Many guess at how much accumulation they will need for retirement.


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One in four workers are planning to delay retirement.

15%

18%

14%

25%24%

2002 2005 2008 2009 2010

Do you now expect to retire later, at an older age than before? (2010 Workers n=902)


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The poor economy heads the list of reasons why workers are postponing retirement.Why have you changed your expected retirement age? (Among workers planning to retire later, n=221) (Top mentions, multiple responses accepted)

Poor economy 29%

Change in employment situation 22%

Finances, can’t afford to retire 16%

Need to make up for losses in the stock market 12%

Lack of faith in Social Security/government 7%

Cost of living in retirement higher than expected 7%

Need to pay current expenses first 6%

Want to make sure you have enough money to retire comfortably 6%

Aren’t sure how the stock market will perform 5%

Health care costs 4%

Law changed the minimum retirement age 4%


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Realistically, at what age do you expect to retire? (2010 Workers n=902)

21%

3%

11%

0%

6%

13%

7%

17%

21%19%

24%

35%

24%22% 22%

28%

4%6%

16%

19%

26%

9%

17%

23%

10% 10%9%

24%

9% 9%

Before 60 60-64 65 66-69 70 or older Never retire

1995 2000 2005 2009 2010

The proportion of workers expecting to retire after age 65, especially after age 70, is growing.


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Increased age for full Social Security benefits appears to have had a minor impact on target age for retirement.Realistically, at what age do you expect to retire? (2010 Workers, n=912)

60 10%

61 <0.5%

62 6%

63 1%

64 <0.5%

65 24%

66 2%

67 5%

68 2%

69 <0.5%

70 14%

71 0%Source: Employee Benefit Research Institute and Mathew Greenwald & Associates, Inc. Retirement Confidence Surveys

Expected Retirement Age

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How old were you when you retired? (2010 Retires n=251)

39%

4%5%

9%

5%7%

5% 5%

30%

8%10%

39%

31%

38%

8%

30%

35%

15%

35%37%

12%

5%

12%12%

31%

Before 60 60-64 65 66-69 70 or older

1995 2000 2005 2009 2010

The actual age at retirement reported by retirees shows less change.


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Did you retire earlier than you planned, later than you planned, or about when you planned? (2010 Retirees n=251)

48%

36%40%

38% 37%

51%

41%

52%

40%42%

49%47%

55%

50%52%

42%

4%7%

4%5%5%5%6%7%

1996 2000 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Earlier Than Planned About When Planned Later Than Planned

Perhaps this is because so many retirees leave the workforce before they had planned.


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7 in 10 workers plan to work for pay in retirement.

63%66% 67% 66%

63%

72% 70%

23%

34%

25%

37%

27%26%22%

2000 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Workers Retirees

Do you think you will do any work for pay after you retire? (2010 Workers n=902) Have you worked for pay since you retired? (2010 Retirees n=251)

Percentage Saying Yes


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Those who plan to work to age 70 or later are less confident than in their financial future.

All Workers%

Expect to Retire at Age 70 or Later

%

Social Security will be there to pay benefits of equal value

50% 74%

Will have enough money to live comfortably in retirement

50% 65%

Will have enough money to take care of medical expenses

50% 62%

Will have enough money for basic expenses

25% 32%


Not too or not at all confident that…

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Increased intention to delay retirement has implications for retirement planning practices.

• Risk of a work-ending illness or disability increases with age

• Planning to work longer to get to target accumulation carries significant risk

Suggestions

• Compute additional target for accumulation: amount needed to support basic lifestyle (at age 62)

• Suggest computation of accumulation (by age) needed for other lifestyles, so individuals can understand trade-offs

Documents

2010 Retirement Confidence Survey ASEC Meeting