Act Now to Avoid Surprises at Retirement

With the future always clouded by uncertainty, planning for it is difficult. By understanding and preparing to deal with uncertainty, however, we can still look forward to a future where anything is possible. For example, we have to make certain assumptions when planning for retirement. What will be our living expenses? How much income will we have? What numbers should we use for inflation and investment return?

After all that, some things can and will change the most well thought-out plan.

A new study, "The Future Shock of Retirement" by Jonathan Cohen, Matthew H. Scanlon, and Matthew O'Hara of Barclay Global Investors, explores "future shocks" to the American Retirement System, and what they mean to the post-retirement living standards for Americans on the doorstep of retirement.