Trends in baby boomer retirement plans

25 March 2019

Living through decades of increasing prosperity has undoubtedly given baby boomers a lot of advantages, but they can also face a number of challenges. Today, many feel pressured into working past their normal retirement date, often because of the number of demands being made on their finances by their families. If they are unable to work, they can have concerns about outliving their savings.

They may face the need to give emotional and financial support to their very elderly parents as well as their children, and sometimes their grandchildren too. All this while also working out how they can best provide for their own retirement and worrying whether they will have sufficient funds saved to pay for their own later-life care.

These concerns have played their part in the growing trend in semi-retirement. The state retirement age is now widely viewed as less of a milestone, with many choosing to work on past that date, for financial reasons or for the mental stimulation that work provides.

A growing role for advice

Research carried out for The London Institute of Banking & Finance1 shows that many baby boomers have yet to put plans in place for the years that lie ahead. The findings show that 35% worry about how they will manage financially in retirement, 47% say they know they need to save more for the years ahead, 72% realise that they will have to provide for their own care costs.

Interestingly, only 20% of those aged 50 to 59 who took part in the survey had taken financial advice, despite 44% freely admitting that they don’t have sufficient knowledge to make the best decisions for their future.

Seeing the bigger picture

A long-running survey carried out by thinktank the International Longevity Centre found that those who took financial advice between 2001 and 2007 had significantly higher savings than those who did not. If you’re approaching retirement, having a financial MOT now could help you put in place the plans you need to provide effectively for your financial future.

1The London Institute of Banking & Finance, June 2018