The 'Concerning Trends' in Retirement Now

An older man sits in front of paperwork on his table and stares out the window, looking concerned.

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Recently, we wrote about the results of the Retirement Confidence Survey, conducted annually by the Employee Benefit Research Institute. EBRI followed up with a deeper dive into spending trends among retirees with its 2024 Spending in Retirement Survey.

I spoke with Bridget Bearden, research and development strategist with EBRI and author of the study, about its conclusions.

Your survey uncovered several 'concerning trends.' What were they?

We asked retirees how their current life aligns with their pre-retirement expectations and how satisfied they are with life in retirement. In each case, their responses were lower than in 2020 and 2022.

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At the same time, 31% of retirees said their spending was higher than they could afford in 2024, up from 17% in 2020 and 27% in 2022.

What is behind the trends?

Three factors:

Lack of sufficient savings
Inflationary pressures
Rising credit card debt

Half of respondents said they had saved less than what was needed for retirement.

When we asked an open-ended question about why they rated their satisfaction with retired life as they did, inflation was a major reason.

Some typical responses: “Inflation is killing me,” and “Inflation has caused me to tighten up and forgo the things I wanted to do.”

So people have taken on more credit card debt?

Among the 63% of retirees who reported having outstanding debt, 68% had credit card debt. That was up from 43% in 2020 and 40% in 2022.

On a more positive note, only one in 10 respondents described their overall debt load as unmanageable or crushing.

You also asked about emergency savings

Overall, 59% of retirees said they have three months of emergency savings, down from 69% in 2022.

Yet 36% have experienced unexpected spending needs since retiring. The most frequently cited reasons were higher-than-expected housing or healthcare costs.

Number three on the list: children or grandchildren who needed help.

But home equity has risen significantly

Respondents reported an increase of 47% in the median value of real estate equity since the start of retirement. That aligns with the growth in home values during the same period, which was a median of seven years.

At the same time, their newfound real estate wealth did not make them more willing to take risks with their financial assets.

What are their main sources of income?

Retirees in our survey were between the ages of 62 and 75, and 83% reported receiving income from Social Security.

Another 39% said they are receiving guaranteed income through a workplace pension or annuity, with pensions more prevalent among retirees from the public sector.

On the other hand, 20% reported receiving income from an individual retirement account, and IRA income was more common among private-sector retirees.

Are there bright spots in the study?

Retirees who reported more-positive outlooks on spending and well-being cited several factors:

Longer tenure with their employer
Fewer employers over a career
More years participating in a retirement plan
Sources of guaranteed income in retirement

How about non-financial factors?

Health is one of the leading drivers of satisfaction, along with independence, a strong social network and a feeling of preparedness. Married people generally report more social interaction and better financial situations.

Note: This item first appeared in Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine, a monthly, trustworthy source of advice and guidance. Subscribe to help you make more money and keep more of the money you make here.

Janet Bodnar is editor-at-large of Kiplinger's Personal Finance, a position she assumed after retiring as editor of the magazine after eight years at the helm. She is a nationally recognized expert on the subjects of women and money, children's and family finances, and financial literacy. She is the author of two books, Money Smart Women and Raising Money Smart Kids. As editor-at-large, she writes two popular columns for Kiplinger, "Money Smart Women" and "Living in Retirement." Bodnar is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University and is a member of its Board of Trustees. She received her master's degree from Columbia University, where she was also a Knight-Bagehot Fellow in Business and Economics Journalism.