Boomers are losing their expected inheritance to their parents’ longevity, according to an analysis in the Wall Street Journal. Matures who have reached their late 60s have as much as a 50-50 chance of living well into their 80s and many into their 90s. Thanks to medical and longevity gains, 85-and-over is the fastest growing age group in the nation. But thanks to that longevity, the Boomers expected inheritance is shrinking as long-lived retirees use their resources to support themselves. It’s long been estimated that over $40 trillion in inheritance would change hands in the first half of this century…. Read More
Categories: Baby Boomers, Matures, WorkRecent Census and Federal Reserve figures created jaw-dropping headlines when they revealed that most Americans’ net worth is no greater than it was 20 years ago. While the headlines suggest stagnation, the numbers revealed that net worth did increase but then fell back to what it was in 1992. During that decline, no generation lost more net worth than Generation X, by percentage. According to the Census Bureau, Generation X households lost close to 60% of their net worth between 2005 and 2010. In terms of actual dollars, the biggest losers were the younger half of the Baby Boomers, sometimes… Read More
Categories: UncategorizedBaby Boomers give the most positive online ratings, Gen Xers the most negative ones, and Millennials fall in the middle, according to a Bazaarvoice study of 6 million online opinions. A majority of all generations are now online and all participate in reviewing and rating products on web sites. In fact, 82% of all online reviews and ratings are positive, according to the study. Baby Boomers now make up the largest group of online reviewers at 45%. They are also the most likely to give the highest (5-star) ratings to products. Not surprisingly, Gen Xers tend to be the harshest critics… Read More
Categories: Baby Boomers, BlogAs the Baby Boomers near their golden years, Hollywood is right there with them. A spate of movies aimed at older demographics and featuring stars in their 50s and 60s reflects the fact that Boomers are proving to be the most reliable movie-going generation. In many ways, Boomers are the “movie generation” having grown up in an era when cinema was the premier form of entertainment. Now, nearing or in retirement, Boomers have more time and money than younger generations and still have a fondness for movies. According to the MPAA, moving going has declined among every demographic except older… Read More
Categories: Baby Boomers, Blog, WorkThis week’s Grandparents’ Day is an appropriate time to notice that Baby Boomers now dominate the Grandparent demographic. According to statistics cited by Newsday, Boomers now make up a majority of grandparents. The average grandparent is a Leading Edge (Early) Boomer (64). The average new grandparent is a Late Boomer (47) The new identity of many Boomers as grandparents is important because of their involvement and commitment, financial and otherwise, in the lives of their grandchildren. Boomer grandparents spend over $35 billion annually on their grandkids. Overall, 52% of grandparents help fund their grandchildren’s educations and 45% help pay for… Read More
Categories: Baby BoomersMany Baby Boomers are working past retirement by starting a second, or “encore,” career. Encore.org reports that 9 million Boomers have already launched their retirement careers. That’s about 10% and well more than the number of Boomers who have reached official retirement age. In their encore careers, Boomers are often looking to do something meaningful or “make a difference.” In that respect, they mirror Millennials who favor jobs that have a purpose or social conscience. Non-profits, education, and community work are obvious choices for meaningful work but Boomers are also finding meaning in starting their own businesses. Leading Edge (older)… Read More
Categories: Baby Boomers, Entrepreneurship, WorkplaceStudies of generational philanthropy show that different generations give to charity differently, both in amount and in how they choose a charity. Various studies show that donors from the Mature and Baby Boomer generations tend to give to charities that they are familiar with or have a personal connection to. Gen Xers and Millennials, on the other hand, tend to choose philanthropies that support causes that are important to them, even if those causes are far removed from any personal or community connection. So, while a Boomer might donate to a health organization because she knows those involved and affected… Read More
Categories: Baby Boomers, Charity, Generations, MaturesIn the 1930s and 40s, the Depression and World War II suppressed birth rates and created the Silent Generation (now part of the Matures) who were named “Silent” in part because there were so few of them. And the advent of the birth control pill in the 1960s had the same effect, leading to the “Baby Bust,” now known as Generation X. Now, the 2010 U.S. Census indicates that the current generation of children, born mostly to the smallish Generation X, represents the next “baby bust.” Census figures show that children now make up a smaller percentage of the nation’s… Read More
Categories: Baby Boomers, Generations, MaturesJust when Generation X is reaching its peak career and earning years, they are finding that the Baby Boomers won’t get out of their way. Many Boomers are delaying retirement due to the recession or simply because they prefer to work. In fact, the participation rate in the labor force among those over 55 is as high as it’s ever been. Xers, contrary to their reputation as slackers, are highly educated, career-oriented, and ambitious, but their path to the top is not clear. In a recent survey, 40% of them say they are not satisfied with their career progress and… Read More
Categories: Baby Boomers, WorkAppeals to nostalgia are known to be effective with Baby Boomers, particularly in marketing campaigns that evoke memories of the Boomers’ “flower power” youth of the 60s and 70s. Now General Mills has launched a campaign aimed at Boomers that features Cheech and Chong, counterculture heroes, and their “magic” brownies. While Cheech and Chong appear in their familiar roles, it’s the brownies that have changed. Now, appropriate to Boomers’ age, the “magic” ingredient in the brownies is fiber. General Mills is using the famous hippies and their association with “magic” brownies of the past to market Fiber One brand 90-calorie,… Read More
Categories: Advertising, Baby Boomers, Generations