Nearly two thirds, or 64%, of retirees strongly agree that their financial situation allows “having a ‘choice’ not to work anymore” – by contrast, just 37% of workers strongly expect that their finances will allow such a choice, according to the results of a survey on retirement released by BlackRock.
BlackRock commissioned nationwide polls of 1,035 retirees and 1,002 workers participating in workplace retirement savings plans during March.
It also commissioned a polling of more than 100 U.S. companies about their workplace savings plans, including whether workers in those plans will be ready to retire at the age of 65.
The findings of the polls show that just over half, 51%, of retirees – but only one quarter, 25%, of today’s workers - are confident about having enough money to live comfortably in retirement.
Meanwhile, plan sponsors are far more pessimistic about retirement preparedness than their current participants. While plan sponsors feel a strong sense of responsibility in educating participants about retirement preparedness, only 43% are confident that their participants are saving enough to get the monthly income they need in retirement.
“Though many of today’s retirees are successfully meeting the financial challenges of life post-employment, the reality is that most are enjoying the financial benefit of robust, secure income streams – in particular, defined benefit pensions - that future retirees simply won’t have,” said Chip Castille, Managing Director and head of BlackRock’s US & Canada Defined Contribution Group.
