For much of the 20th century, many employees who spent decades working for one company typically received a pension plan. According to the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, 88 percent of all private-sector employees in 1975 had a pension.1 With the confidence of knowing their retirement would be covered by pension and Social Security benefits, perhaps they even saved little — but it would not have been all that necessary to learn how to invest.
Today, the number of private-sector employees with pensions has plummeted to 33 percent.2 This means that baby boomers (those born between 1946 and 19643) are the first generation of retirees to rely on defined contribution plans, such as 401(k) and 403(b) plans. In fact, many boomers don’t have the luxury of perhaps just saving a little; they have to save a lot.
In addition, many boomers have to learn about different types of investments, which can be daunting. In fact, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) lists 12 broad types, each of which has its own subsets.4 That’s a pretty big responsibility to take on.
Here’s an idea of where we stand:5
Bear in mind that back in the days when many employees could count on a pension plan, those assets were managed by professional money managers. These days, some company 401(k) plans include a “self-directed” option, which lets you decide how to invest your contributions yourself.6 We hasten to remind you that investing can be complex, and creating a financial strategy for retirement has been complicated by the fact that people are living more years in retirement than ever before. If you could use some advice to help manage your investment portfolio — including self-directed accounts — or to create a financial strategy, please give us a call.
In fact, outside investment advice in the defined contribution space is becoming more prevalent. A recent report by the Spectrem Group found that 73 percent of employer-plan participants use an outside advisor, such as a mutual fund company representative or an independent financial planner, to assist them with investing assets that are outside their plan. However, they do not necessarily consult with an outside advisor for their entire investment portfolio.7
Keep in mind that preparing for retirement involves much more than just accumulating assets. This preparation includes deciding on a Social Security claiming strategy; navigating defined contribution plan rollovers; considering tax consequences; and mulling possible part-time work during retirement. And we must do this while pursuing social and intellectual engagement opportunities so we can stay healthy and cognitively fit during our long retirement.8
It’s a lot to think about. The earlier we get started on our full-scale retirement plans, the better.
