In a divided nation, Americans can still find points of agreement. Large majorities of Americans agree that teachers are underpaid, government benefit programs are necessary, and a second civil war would be bad for the nation. A September 2024 survey discovered that a substantial majority of Americans agree on another fact: the United States faces […]
Social Security benefits are the only source of income for about 20% of Americans who are 65 or older. Retirees struggle when they must live on their Social Security benefit alone. The average benefit is less than $1,800 per month. About half of all Americans who are 65 or older receive 50% or more of […]
Baby boomers — people born between 1946 and 1964 — were once America’s largest generation. Boomers held that demographic status until 2019, when Millennials became the largest living generation. By 2029, all baby boomers will have reached the traditional retirement age of 65. Many boomers have already retired. Many other have reached retirement age but […]
Updated May 2025 Seniors balance competing factors when they decide where to live after retirement. People who feel rooted in a community and have easy access to family and friends might stay where they are. Some may decide to move closer to adult children who have moved away. Older people who are tired of coping […]
Updated April 2025 Some seniors have little choice about their retirement dates. While it is unlawful to fire an employee because of age, businesses often invent excuses to terminate the employment of older workers. Some employees become less able to perform physically demanding jobs as they age. Employees who can no longer work in their […]
Updated April 2025 The pandemic caused millions of workers to lose their jobs. From restaurant employees to flight attendants, from teachers to travel agents, employees who worked in industries that could not operate because of social distancing rules were sent home. While layoffs disproportionately affected low-wage workers in service occupations, nearly every industry was affected […]
Updated July 2025 Ideally, as workers gain experience in a job, their wages increase and their savings grow. When employers don’t offer pension or retirement benefits, workers can still take advantage of individual retirement accounts (IRAs). Unfortunately, the yearly limit on contributions to an IRA is much smaller than the limit on 401(k) plan contributions. […]
For years it’s been thought that women have been disadvantaged financially because of their gender. The facts seem to bear that out. The reasons include lower pay for similar work and steeper climbs up corporate ladders. The traditional unpaid roles of wife, homemaker and child-rearer-in-chief also contribute, but there are other factors, too. For example, […]
Many loving parents and grandparents make the mistake of giving priority to paying for their children’s or grandchildren’s educations over the funding of their own retirement. At first blush that may sound like the generous priority, but it subjects the entire family to financial risk. Hopefully you have funded your retirement through savings, investing and […]