Not Saving Early Enough for Retirement Is Biggest Financial Regret

As people age, the percentage dissatisfied with their approach to retirement, in terms of timeliness, increases.

Nearly 75% of adults have financial regrets, Bankrate.com found in a survey. The most common is not saving early enough for retirement, cited by 22%, followed by not saving enough for an emergency (16%), and, tied at third, carrying too much credit card debt and being burdened by too much student loan debt (9%). The fourth regret is not saving enough for a child’s education (8%), and the sixth is buying a house beyond one’s means (2%).

Taking on too much student loan debt tops the list among older Millennials (27- to 36-year-olds).

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Baby Boomers are the most likely to regret not saving for retirement earlier; remorse over this issue grows steadily from ages 18 to 62. It’s also the biggest financial regret for every household income bracket above $30,000 per year and a close second below that threshold (to not saving enough for emergencies).

The top financial regret deals with not saving—either for retirement or emergencies—among every income bracket, level of educational attainment, gender, race, political affiliation, census region and community type, plus every age group except the aforementioned 27- to 36-year-olds.

Among Millennials, 11% are worried about not saving early enough for retirement. This increases to 18% among Gen X and 39% among Baby Boomers. However, it decreases to 23% among the Silent Generation.

When asked how they feel about the amount of money they’ve saved, 23% of survey respondents say they’re more comfortable today than they were a year ago, when 21% said they were more comfortable.

Princeton Survey Research Associates International conducted the telephone survey for Bankrate among 1,001 adults in May.

PSNC 2017 Preview: HSAs and DC Health Care

Panelists will explain how HSAs can be used as a savings and retirement vehicle and why high-deductible plans paired with these accounts are a good option for employers. 

The 2017 PLANSPONSOR National Conference (PSNC) kicks off June 7 in Washington, D.C.

The event includes two-and-a-half days of peer-to-peer networking and education sessions led by top industry executives, consultants, attorneys and high-performing plan sponsors. This year’s event, focused on “Achieving Excellence in Plan Governance While Maximizing Plan Performance,” will deliver key insights and actionable information about all aspects of running a retirement plan under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

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Among the numerous panel discussions planned this year is a deep dive on the role of health savings accounts (HSAs) in the holistic retirement planning effort. Survey research shows nearly three-fourths of employers think HSAs should be open to all employees, not just those enrolled in a high-deductible health plan. Plan sponsors attending PSNC 2017 will learn about how to implement and administer HSA programs effectively

Plan sponsors can register for the premier event for free, and adviser and providers are also encouraged to register. Information about the full agenda and registration is available here: http://www.plansponsor.com/event/psnc2017/

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