Future Retirees Behind the Savings Eight Ball

Despite the increasedhealth care and dailyliving expenses thatfuture retirees willface, only 54% ofAmericans betweenthe ages of 35 and 54have started saving forretirement, according to a surveyby Fidelity Investors. However, a surprising71% of adults who are currentlysaving said that they started before age30. Amid growing concerns for the futureof social security, young adults who do notthink they will be better off in their goldenyears than the previous generation citebad spending habits as the reason whythey save so poorly. In fact, 49% of midlifeadults and 55% of young adults claim thattheir parents were better at budgetingmoney. Even though 82% of young adultsand 78% of midlife adults plan on usingpersonal savings, such as an IRA or 401(k),to finance their retirement, only 20% haveopened an IRA. Determents from investingin an IRA include lack of time andpatience, daycare costs, mortgage payments,or saving for college.