Six Surprising Facts About Retirement Confidence

1 in 3 retirees report higher expenses than anticipated. A comfortably yet elegantly dressed woman of mid-to-late middle age wearing spectacles listens on a telephone while seated on a couch in a well-appointed apartment.

20 percent of retirees find that extended care costs, which Medicare does not cover, are much higher than expected. A comfortably yet elegantly dressed man of mid-to-late middle age listens on a telephone while seated on a large wicker chair in a well-appointed home.

86 percent of retirees-to-be expect social security to be a significant factor in their retirement, when in reality 94 percent of retirees find it their most important source of income. An informally-dressed bespectacled woman sits at a breakfast table with her clasped hands resting at her chin, reading her steel-colored laptop.

While about half of workers believe they will retire at age 65 or older, the actual median retirement age is 62. A barefoot woman, dressed in leisure wear and with her white hair in a small ponytail looks out at a large body of water with her Jack Russell terrier while seated on a large driftwood log.

More than half of people approaching retirement describe debt as a problem, and many make debt reduction a primary goal. A comfortably yet elegantly dressed woman of mid-to-late middle age listens on a telephone while standing in a well-appointed apartment.

Private health care costs can be more expensive than expected. With that in mind, it’s a good idea to have a financial strategy in place for these and other costs. A young woman wearing a sweater smiles and walks behind a man of mid-to-late middle age in his wheelchair.

Here’s the good news. It’s never too late to update your retirement strategy, especially as your medical needs change. Sources. 1. EBRI.org, 2022. 2. Genworth, 2022. Final text framed in white and grey.

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