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Aug 01, 2008 -- Generation X not saving for retirement

Members of Generation X don't think they'll ever be able to stop working, according to a survey from the BetterInvesting organization. Most adults age 27-42 have saved minimally at best for their retirement. In fact, 40% have saved almost nothing at all! Here's the upside: Gen X is not in denial about the dwindling of Social Security. They know they should be saving for retirement -- they just haven't done it. Well, the first step to getting better is to admit that you're ill!

If you don't save, you'll probably have to continue working until you drop. That's so unlike the scenario that faced most baby boomers -- a generation that really lived it up in the golden years. But at the current rate, Gen X won't even have the option of retirement. It goes without saying that Clark wants Gen X to reduce debt and save along the way.

It all begins by buying only the things that you can afford on a day-to-day basis. That's means no 0% in-store financing. We're at a unique juncture in American history where we have the permission to borrow ourselves into oblivion. But that's a choice. And if you make it, you may have to work your whole lifetime and never stop.

Unfortunately, Clark won't be able to answer any questions submitted via commenting. If you have a question, please try posting it to our message boards.

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What others are saying

  • 401(k) loans are SMART!
    The other day I was listening to Clark on the radio & he recommended against borrowing against 401(k). I think the arguments against borrowing are flat wrong. Here are the arguments against borrowing & my rebuttals:

    1--When you repay the loans you are repaying with POST-TAX dollars. While this is true, this is the only way that it CAN be repaid. This is not a CONTRIBUTION to 401(k), it is repayment of a loan, so it must be in post-tax dollars just like every other loan in the world. If this was not the case, people could use loans to contribute in excess of the amounts allowed (my company allows employees to contribute 15%, which I do. If repayment of loans were done in pre-tax dollars, I could exceed the 15% cap by taking a loan & repaying in pre-tax $).

    2--If an employee is fired he will have to repay the loan. This is true, so the loan dollars should be put someplace fairly liquid just in case this happens.

    3--By taking out a loan you are eating into your retirement. This is false. If you continue to contribute at the same rates as you did BEFORE you took the loan you can actually make GREAT money on a 401(k) loan. My plan has me paying myself 8.5% interest, which is beating what my more aggressive 401(k) investments are earning right now. In addition, I can take that loan money and make MORE on it by investing in a 6-month CD and maka a few more percentage points!

    THIS IS A NO-BRAINER, and I'm not even a banker! I'm just some schmoe working for a living!

    --Greg Cola
    colag@bellsouth.net
  • Gen X to Gen Y
    Kudos to you for saving!
  • Gen Y
    I am a Gen Y and it's been tough. I'm in my first job in the 8th costliest city in the country. I save 6% of my income in my firm's Roth 401(k) and they match 6%.
  • Lifestyle Choices
    My husband and I are Gen Xers and we are huge savers. It's about lifestyle choices. We have learned how to have a completely fulfilled life without spending tons of money so we can save for our future, which hopefully includes early retirement. We max out our ROTH IRAs, have a 401k/pension, have an emergency fund, have other investments and have appropriate insurance. Also, we keep our living expenses low with a small mortgage and a small car payment. These are very easy things to do. I wish more people in my generation would take control of their finances.
  • self-reliant
    I don't want to have to depend on the government or charity (of a hospital or any other organization) when I can save my own money now and take care of myself later. If social security still exists when I retire 20-30 years from now it would be nice to have that in addition to my own money, but I'm not going to count on it.
  • Non-savers
    Get a real job with health benefits.
  • Budget
    The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey is an awesome book. It's never too late to change your family tree!
  • I have to agree with the previous poster. In today's world, I can either save $100K and spend it in 1 hospital visit, or I can not save a thing, have fun and have the hospital write-off the $100K. What do you think I am going to choose?
  • My dad always taught me that the company 401K is not optional. It's just one of the things you have take out of your paycheck, like taxes and medical premiums. Sadly, most of my coworkers my age (27) didn't get the same advice or didn't heed it and have not saved a penny towards retirement. I think that more companies need to help out by having an Opt Out policy instead of an Opt In policy when it comes to company sponsored plans.
  • Buy health insurance.
  • Being a Gen Xer I know I will work till I drop. There will be no social security or medicare. I'm living a good lower middle class life. Your average size house 2 nice cars. One very cool kid. Any money I might save I will just loose after being in the hospital for just 1 or 2 weeks for whatever I'm going to die of cancer, the flu or whatever.

    Its a shame you can work the best years of your life to have a home paid for but loose it all in just one week if you have no health insurance.

    Live rich die poor.
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