Worries about deficits have become front and central in Washington in a time of sharply rising national debt. In this climate, solutions that reduce deficits and debt are viewed with considerable political favor. However, in the debates now going on about how to address deficits, let’s not forget a deficit that no one is talking about. That’s the retirement income deficit, the gap between what people will need in retirement and what they will have.
For the first time, the size of the retirement income deficit has been calculated. And it’s a whopper at $6.6 trillion. According to calculations done for the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, that is the present value of the shortfall of achieving sufficient savings for people aged 32 to 64 to maintain one’s living standard in retirement. It takes what people have saved and assumes contributions will continue as they have in the past and that Social Security will not be cut, pension benefits will remain intact, and housing is converted into streams of income.
Retirement USA, a coalition of organizations representing employees, retirees, and consumers, has launched “Wake Up, Washington!” month to encourage people across America to call on Washington to pay attention to the retirement income deficit and begin the process of defining a vision for a 21st private retirement income system that is universal, secure and adequate. It’s time to close the gaps in our present patchwork system. And, whatever you do, don’t cut Social Security, as that will only make the retirement income deficit worse.