Brief Will Living Standards Decline for Future Retirees?
Damir Cosic, Richard W. Johnson, Karen E. Smith
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This brief shows how changing patterns of lifetime earnings, retirement plan participation, and wealth accumulation will shape future economic well-being at older ages. Our projection results are mixed. As economic growth raises earnings and retirement benefits and women work more, boomers and Gen Xers will receive more income at age 70 than pre-boomers, born between 1936 and 1945. That income, however, will replace a smaller share of preretirement earnings for future retirees because of the increase in the Social Security retirement age and the loss of defined-benefit pensions. Potential Social Security cuts and rising health care costs create additional uncertainty.

Research Areas Wealth and financial well-being Aging and retirement
Tags Social Security Economic well-being Asset and debts Employment and income data Pensions Retirement Retirement policy
Policy Centers Income and Benefits Policy Center
Research Methods Dynamic Simulation of Income Model 4 (DYNASIM4)