A digest of timely information and insight about finance, investing, and retirement.

Retirement focus greater for married versus singles | PlanSponsor
Those married or partnered are more likely to have a positive outlook on their finances, consider themselves planners and savers and have a focus on saving for retirement, while those who are single are prioritizing affording everyday bills and paying down student debt, the Society of Actuaries (SOA) has found. These differences are even more dramatic for older generations, including their financial outlook and planning horizons. There are wide gaps between married or partnered individuals and those who are single in how they address their financial priorities and their relationship with debt. These findings are potentially troublesome, given that these older generations are generally approaching or in retirement, the SOA says.

A retirement crisis in the US? Maybe not. | CNBC
Most stories about Americans and retirement contain words like “crisis,” “poverty,” and “horror.” Not this one. While many people are still not saving enough for their golden years, many of them are getting better at doing so — and hopeful signs abound. Today, American households headed by individuals between the ages of 35 and 64 are running $3.83 trillion short of the amount they need to safely carry them through their post-working life, according to new data by the Employee Benefit Research Institute. However, the last time EBRI ran the numbers, in 2014, those families were $4.44 trillion behind. “That’s significantly lower than it was,” said Jack VanDerhei, research director at the Institute.

It just became easier for employers to dump retirees’ pensions | CNN
Traditional pensions are disappearing in America, and the federal government just made it easier for employers to get rid of them. With no fanfare in early March, the Treasury Department issued a notice that allows employers to buy out current retirees from their pensions with a one-time lump sum payment. The decision reversesObama-era guidance, issued in 2015, that had effectively banned the practice after officials determined that lump-sum payments often shortchanged seniors. Now, advocates for the elderly worry that millions of people receiving monthly pension checks could be at risk.

The top financial concern in retirement centers on health care | USA Today
Though retirement is an exciting milestone to look forward to, the idea of it can be nerve-wracking. After all, there are a host of financial unknowns associated with retirement, and living on a fixed income leaves many seniors struggling to make ends meet. It’s therefore encouraging to learn that 84 percent of seniors today think their retirement has been as good as expected, if not better, according to T.Rowe Price. But retirees still harbor financial concerns. Many seniors have money-related worries on the brain, but according to T. Rowe Price, they all center on one key thing: health care.

Anactive, full retirement depends on proactive, long-term planning | Kiplinger
People are living longer, but how many are living well in retirement? When it comes to a retirement that’s both enjoyable and financially secure, so much depends on how well people planned financially, and whether their income strategy was designed for the long road and the bumps that may occur as they travel along it. Too often, it’s not. That’s why, when preparing for retirement, it’s important to be proactive and get as far ahead of the curve as possible so variables like a fickle market and life events don’t disrupt and undermine your financial security. Rather than wait for something negative to happen and reacting to it, there are ways to build a plan that can help weather storms and sustain you for a long and enjoyable retirement.