INTRODUCTION
Population ageing is an international phenomenon. With average life expectancy steadily increasing throughout the world – due to factors such as higher living standards, improved healthcare and the post-war baby-boom – more and more people are living to old age. This is increasing the proportion of ‘older adults’ (>65 years) among the population. In fact, it is estimated that of all the people in human history to have ever reached the age of 65, half are alive now (Pearce, 2010). This trend is particularly apparent in developed countries such as the UK where as of June 2014, the number of older adults amounts to 11.1 million (17.4% of the UK population) (Office for National Statistics, 2014). Moreover, growth in this age group
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shares, bonds, property, ISAs (Individual Savings Accounts)) in order to supplement their savings/pensions. These investment decisions are often made independently and therefore require the individual to navigate the complicated and uncertain world of finance. Obviously, this poses a potential risk to their entire livelihoods if their investments do not turn out profitable. Furthermore, the likelihood of this risk of unprofitability occurring is being exacerbated by the following factors:
1. Financial literacy: This is a worldwide problem, even in developed countries with developed annuity markets such as the UK. Cardinale et al (2002) report that the large majority of UK retirees continue to choose bond-backed annuities which are often inappropriate investments given the fact that they may be spending twenty years or more in retirement. In fact, financial literacy is so poor that 40% of people in the UK who own an equity ISA are not aware that its value fluctuates with the stock market whilst 15% of people who own a cash ISA think its value does (Financial Services Authority, 2005). In the US, 55% of adults and 66% of high-school students did not understand the concept of inflation or interest rates, and in Australia, 37% of people with investments did not know that their investments could fluctuate in value (OECD, 2004). This lack of financial knowledge in the population
Back in twentieth century, a tiny fragment of mere 5% population was comprised of people aged 65 and above. A little spike in this segment was observed during the period of 1950s-1960s; however, that spike was not significant and restricted to 8% of entire population (Chart 1.1). Many factors were responsible for the small proportion of senior population, the most prominent one though, low life expectancy, high fertility/birth rates and limitation of health services.
The rapid growth in the number of seniors in America and around the world is creating a global demographic revolution without precedent. During this century, advances in hygiene and water supply and control of infectious diseases have reduced the risk of premature death much. As a result, the proportion of population over 60 years in the world is growing faster than in any previous era. In 1950 there were approximately 200 million people aged over 60 worldwide. By 2000 there will be over 550 million, and by 2025, the number of people over 60 is expected to reach 1,200 million.
Most importantly, the registered financial advisor is interested in the following life changes: divorce, job change, and retirement. Consequently, life changes develop a need for the services of a registered financial advisor. Specifically, life changes require a consumer to reallocate retirement funds into leads an investment account. Furthermore, Allstate offers consumers the ability to place retirement funds in the following accounts: mutual funds, and annuities. The mutual fund strategy provides liquidity to consumers and potential benefits to heirs (Pang, 2009). For mutual funds, there are thousands of funds that accommodate different consumers based on their investment preferences (Kammoun, 2017). Further, the annuity strategy produces a lifetime nominal payout for retirees (Pang,
Disability among older U.S. adults, as measured by limitations in instrumental activities of daily living, has declined since the early 1980s. Disability also is measured by limitations in activities of daily living (ADL), a common factor leading to the need for long-term care. Recent studies using ADL measures have shown varied trends in disability. The world has experienced a gradual demographic transition from patterns of high fertility and high mortality rates to low fertility and delayed mortality. The transition begins with declining infant and childhood mortality, in part because of effective public health measures. Lower childhood mortality contributes initially to a longer life expectancy and a younger population. Declines in fertility rates generally follow, and improvements in adult health lead to an older population. As a result of demographic transitions, the shape of the global age distribution is changing. By 1990, the age distribution in developed countries represented similar proportions of younger and older persons. For developing countries, age distribution is projected to have similar proportions by 2030. By 2030, the number of U.S. adults aged 65 or older will more than double to about 71 million. The rapidly increasing number of older Americans has far-reaching implications for our nation's public health system and will place unprecedented demands on the
In 2017, an estimated 3.8 million Australians (15% of the population) are aged 65 and over compared with 2.2 million (13%) in 2007. An ageing population leads to:-
Throughout this document, I will be using various numbers and concepts under the assumption that they represent your financial position. In truth, these numbers are meant to be fluid and may change with time depending on the course of events in your life. Reviewing the document carefully to understand the underlying concepts
Worldwide demographic change has resulted in an amplified elderly population. The United Nations predict a two fold increase to 22% by 2050 in the proportion of people aged 60 years and over. [1] Similarly it is estimated by 2034 a quarter of the UK population will be 65 years and over. [2] This
Because of advancements in health, individuals are living longer. As a result, we find a growing population of people in late adulthood that is greater than decades before. These individual have varying degrees of health, but the majority of which are still capable of leading active lives. Berger (2011) describes there are 3 categories of old: young-old, old-old, and oldest-old. In the United States, young-old account for 70 percent of the late adult population and are “healthy, active, financially secure, and independent” (Berger, 2011, p.499). The groupings are not based upon an age, but rather on their health, vigor and financial security. Of the three groups, only the oldest-old are dependent on others for care. Even though there are varying
There are several effects and problems caused by the fact that the population of the UK appears to be growing older. Throughout this essay i will attempt to identify these numerous problems, which include the history and demography of the country, overview of the problem, causes and effects and eventually the solution. Then I will attempt to round the essay off with an effective conclusion which will identify the key body of my text and give a general consensus of what I have stated.
Pension funds are any plans, funds or schemes which provide retirement income. These funds are important to shareholders of listed and private companies and they are particularly important to the stock market which is dominated by large institutional investors. This essay discusses the idea of pension funds and the pension crises. It defines the issues of pension funds, talks about the various pensions, categorizes them, and discusses the pension crisis and its implications to the US in particular and to the world in general.
Going with the assumption that an older person is one whose age is 65 or over – the one distinguishing feature that they possess is that they appear not to work for a living. Older people have always been a major focus for social policy and because the UK is an ageing society, their importance to the subject is increasing further. Life expectancy has been growing steadily for over half a century and the UK has now reached a point where there are more people over State Pension age than children. In 1950, a man aged 65 could expect on average to live to the age of 76.
The world’s population is ageing rapidly. Between 2000 and 2050, the proportion of the world's older adults is estimated to double from about 11% to 22%. In absolute terms, this is an expected increase from 605 million to 2 billion people over the age of 60.
Population ageing is a major global demographic trend. As the life expectancy continues to increase, the proportion of elderly people rises simultaneously. For instance, the life expectancy in Japan was 79 years old (World Trade Organisation, 2014) in 1990, the number then raised to 84 years old (World Trade Organisation, 2014) in 2012 and accounted for 39% (World Bank Data, 2014) of the whole Japan population.
As and investor, you are overwhelmed with advice in newspapers, magazines, and mailings discussing what to invest in for a successful retirement nest egg, when to start saving for retirement and who to invest with. There are millions of people who realize that an investment portfolio for retirement is necessary, but do they really understand the investment instruments and the amount they must invest for tomorrow? The subject of retirement is a fascinating area but it also could be a fuzzy subject without the correct amount of knowledge, understanding and professional guidance. The number one question of concern for individuals facing retirement issues is whether or not they
One of the biggest risks that the elders faced is the longevity risk, which determines the period in which an elder is exposed to the other risks mentioned in this paper. Even with the advancement of science and technology, it is still impossible to accurately predict a person’s time of death. However, life expectancy can be used as a reference that shows the ‘expected’ age of death in a particular region. People often underestimate their lifespan, causing them to run out of money before death. In Australia, the life expectancy for both men and women has increased tremendously over the past century to above 80 years old, increasing the likelihood for an elder to be exposed to these retirement risks. Therefore, a careful retirement plan should be arranged to reduce this risk.