The Role of Savings and Other Issues in Retirement Readiness

The 78 million members of the "baby boom" generation are beginning to retire. After many years of accumulating assets to spend in retirement, they now must decide how to convert these assets into a steady stream of income. Since the trend has shifted from defined benefit pensions to defined contribution plans such as 401(k) plans, future retirees will be less likely to have a guaranteed stream of income from defined benefit pensions. While Social Security will provide a guaranteed income to most retirees, it will replace only a relatively small proportion of their pre-retirement income. As a result of these trends, many future retirees will rely greatly on their savings to finance their consumption during retirement. This book examines the role of savings and other related issues in retirement readiness.