AARP says it’s too soon to tell how the US credit downgrade and rollercoaster stock market will specifically affect retirees in the long run. The association says since 2000, Americans have been delaying their retirement because they just can’t save enough, and recent instability in the economy certainly won’t help.
She says the AARP did a study of 5,000 members. She says 54 percent of them say they’ve altered their retirement plans because of the recession. She says of that number, 44 percent would likely work part-time in retirement, and a third would delay their retirement.
She says the AARP Website has a Social Security calculator to help people figure out how long they need to work before retiring. She says for financial reasons and insurance benefits, many people are going back or staying in the workforce.
But for some people, there’s nothing they can do. Collins says some people are losing their jobs at age 55, and start getting social security then, when if they could wait another decade, they would get a lot more. She says there’s a few ways to protect investments and make retirement comfortable, but no one can foresee how the economy will look in the future.
(AUDIO) Allison Blood reports on retirement savings Mp3 1:00