Talking Points

Gas prices would have to reach between $5.30 to $5.35 per gallon before most people cut back on spending in other areas or make significant changes in the way they live, according to a Gallup poll.   

Eighty-four percent of professional service firms say compliance with regulations is their top concern when sponsoring retirement plans for their employees. According to research from Nationwide Financial Services Inc., 28% of firms with fewer than 50 employees do not feel that their fiduciary requirements are being met.

“I have enough money to last me the rest of my life, unless I buy something.”

–Jackie Mason 

27% of affluent Americans are unsure how much to save or invest to meet their future needs. According to a survey by Natixis Global Asset Management (NGAM), this includes 30% of investors with $300,000 to $500,000 of assets, 22% with more than $1 million and 18% of those over age 50.

“The trouble with retirement is that you never get a day off.”

–Abe Lemons 

American workers spend a lot of money on ordinary daily expenses such as coffee and lunch, according to a Workonomix survey by Accounting Principals. The survey found that 50% of the American work force spends approximately $1,000 a year on coffee, or more than $20 a week on a coffee habit. In addition, two-thirds (66%) of working Americans buy their lunch instead of packing it at home, costing them an average of $37 per week—nearly $2,000 a year.