Women on Savings and Retirement: Results from the 2000 Women's Retirement Confidence Survey

Abstract

The results from the 2000 Women's Retirement Confidence Survey (WRCS) offer encouraging news on women's retirement prospects, as well as areas of concern. Differing views and attitudes toward savings and retirement planning among various social, economic, and ethnic groups of women may be helpful for future educational programs targeted at increasing women's saving rates. The results also demonstrate the need for more and better education for women, particularly minority women, about planning and saving for retirement. Most women are saving for retirement, which is good, but many still are not. In addition, even women who are saving need help - most have no idea how much they need to save. Education continues to be a crucial component of efforts to ensure the retirement income security of American women.

Keywords: Retirement attitudes and opinions, Retirement planning, Savings, Social Security attitudes and opinions

JEL Classification: J16, J26