Why Baby Boomers Should Rethink Retirement

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I am a baby boomer and as far as I am concerned, I have yet to begin to live! I am a late bloomer in everything that I do! I am a recent grand mother again and I am not in the grave yet. I have a lot of knowledge and experiences that could be learned from.I have many stories of life and it is not over yet. I AM ON A NEW ADVENTURE1 Life is out there, live it!

cynthia pever of TX 4:34PM May 25, 2010

I have an interest in financial service. As I fly in my helicopter, 40,000 feet in the air and look down, from a perspective of 30 years or so, where in the 1980's there were 125,000 defined benefit pensions like our Congress enjoys, to less than 17,000 at last count, the average American non-executive has had their retirement hopes stolen by large Corporations with the help of Congress and the Courts. And the passive employees of those Corporations without deep pockets have allowed it to happen. If you wonder how executives went from 40 times to 400 times their compensation, thank the 50 years plus of Pension fund build up. They just magically shifted the pension funds to the bottom line with vapor profits and other "creative accounting" with no conscience.
The over 65 crowd and the babyboomers have to accept that half of them, reaching age 65 will NOT be able to work full time because of some physical disability. Plus if you happen to be one of the under 65 families that declare medical bankruptcy, about 900,000 families last year, you won't see retirement at all and will have a part time job or live in a low cost housing project or live with your kids or grandkids.
Not to be too negative, the WWII Greatest Generation will be just that, the babyboomers have allowed the Richest 1% to take their retirement dreams while they watched DVD's, played video games, and tuned in ESPN and not paying attention to what was going on in Washington. Watch CSPN sometime, read the political blogs or PBS to get the truth.
This is a nice article on accepting what has happened, but for myself, I am ticked off that the babyboomers allowed their retirement to be stolen.

George of UT 1:54PM February 09, 2010

I am a 72 year old woman. I retired at 66 from a job I enjoyed. It was a stressful job that required multi-tasking and lots of interaction with clients and employees. In retirement, I am volunteering my time to causes that are important to me, and I find myself working almost as hard as I did when I was receiving a paycheck. I am enjoying what I do, but I have to say, I miss the satisfaction of that paycheck. We could use it. Still, I feel fortunate that I had the option to quit my job... that my husband and I both had that choice available. Our jobs would have become more and more difficult with each passing year. No matter how well you take care of yourself, the body wears out, eyes and hearing fail, memory is a problem. How long will an employer keep a worker who pulls a big salary because of seniority, but is less efficient than a younger employee? It's going to be a BIG PROBLEM!

Harriet Be of OR 1:55AM February 01, 2010

The biggest bulge in the baby boom is now around age 50. And we are vibrantly youthful. If we care for ourselves now to avoid factors that cause chronic disease and accelerated aging there will be big improvements in our need for care in older age.
Twifties are the fun people around their 50s and up, and a Twifty lifestyle is lively and healthy and fun and we'll figure out how to be well in older age. A fit body is needed to pursue fun Twifty pursuits, and knowing that there is fun out there for us is a great incentive to get or stay in shape!
Lauren Traub Teton
founder of Twiftes and Twifties.TV
and snowboarder

Lauren Traub Teton of NY 1:54PM January 28, 2010

"Most Americans like their work, finding it a source of their identity and meaning in life," points out Laura Carstensen, a psychology professor at Stanford University.
Sure can tell she has been in LaLa land her entire career. Some Americans like their work. Most work only to survive. If you have a job where you are treated with respect and know you are a valuable contributer retirement is not that enticing. For far to many that is not the case. Many have the stress of working at companies managed by demi-gods. Very unhealthy environments. Those who work with their backs break down physically.
It is time to stop listening to the LaLa land professors who are insulated from reality.

Jpuplic of WA 2:31PM January 26, 2010