Afraid of Dying? You'll Avoid Annuities
I can so relate to this.
A new study says that many of us baby boomers may not be able to retire at 65 and maintain our style of living because we're afraid to think about dying.
Say what?
Yup. Roughly 52 percent of American households will not have enough retirement income to maintain their standard of living if they retire at 65.The reason? People are afraid of thinking about their own death, according to newswise.com.
Fear of death tempts people to avoid making decisions about how to manage their savings during retirement.
Researchers from Boston College in Massachusetts decided to investigate why so few people choose to invest in annuities, a guaranteed steady stream of income during retirement. The public's lack of interest in annuities, known as the "annuity puzzle," has stumped researchers for decades.
The investigators explored a new solution to the annuity puzzle: What if people avoid this option because it evokes thoughts about mortality?
My husband is facing a second hernia operation next week. He decided that we should sit down and go over all our financials, something he's been avoiding for years, in case he dies (hopefully, not likely, as it's relatively minor surgery). But I've been putting it off. He's having his surgery this coming Monday. Don't you think it's about time we talked?
But all I can see is the idea of his death. And I don't want to go there.
This all came about when researchers began studying why people don't want to put their retirement savings into annuities, a fairly safe option.
The researchers presented two groups with a hypothetical scenario in which they were 65 years old and beginning retirement. One group was asked if they were interested in putting their savings into an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), while the second group was asked if they were interested in an annuity.
After giving their responses, the participants in both groups talked about the thoughts they were having. The researchers found that 40 percent in the annuity group had death-related thoughts, compared to only 1 percent in the IRA group.
The investigators further tested their theory by asking participants in one group to write an essay about their own death, such as how it would happen and the emotions involved. The second group wrote an essay about a time they experienced dental pain. Then the groups were presented with the scenario of being 65 and retiring. When asked if they wanted to put savings into an annuity, the group that had written about their own death was 50 percent less likely to choose an annuity.
Then the researchers also experimented with altering the wording in annuity brochures to see if they could influence decisions. One annuity brochure stated that the monthly payouts would be a certain amount "each year until they died" while the other said the payouts would be "each year they lived."
The change worked. More people opted for annuities when they read that the payouts would last "each year they lived."
I guess we're all a little terrified of dying. I faced cancer twice in my life so, for me, the idea of death, while not appealing or desired, is something I've had to think about. I'm still here, 10 years later, but it's not something that ever really goes away. In some ways, I feel lucky, having been exposed so young. In others, not so much.
"Our findings suggest there may be simple ways financial planners can reduce thoughts about death in these situations," Salisbury said. "There may also be strategies to help people cope with the anxiety that these thoughts might evoke."
Annuities are likely not the only decision retirees may be avoiding due to fear of death, Salisbury said. The findings could also have implications for decisions about estate planning, wills and life insurance.
A new study says that many of us baby boomers may not be able to retire at 65 and maintain our style of living because we're afraid to think about dying.
Say what?
Yup. Roughly 52 percent of American households will not have enough retirement income to maintain their standard of living if they retire at 65.The reason? People are afraid of thinking about their own death, according to newswise.com.
Fear of death tempts people to avoid making decisions about how to manage their savings during retirement.
Researchers from Boston College in Massachusetts decided to investigate why so few people choose to invest in annuities, a guaranteed steady stream of income during retirement. The public's lack of interest in annuities, known as the "annuity puzzle," has stumped researchers for decades.
The investigators explored a new solution to the annuity puzzle: What if people avoid this option because it evokes thoughts about mortality?
My husband is facing a second hernia operation next week. He decided that we should sit down and go over all our financials, something he's been avoiding for years, in case he dies (hopefully, not likely, as it's relatively minor surgery). But I've been putting it off. He's having his surgery this coming Monday. Don't you think it's about time we talked?
But all I can see is the idea of his death. And I don't want to go there.
This all came about when researchers began studying why people don't want to put their retirement savings into annuities, a fairly safe option.
The researchers presented two groups with a hypothetical scenario in which they were 65 years old and beginning retirement. One group was asked if they were interested in putting their savings into an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), while the second group was asked if they were interested in an annuity.
After giving their responses, the participants in both groups talked about the thoughts they were having. The researchers found that 40 percent in the annuity group had death-related thoughts, compared to only 1 percent in the IRA group.
The investigators further tested their theory by asking participants in one group to write an essay about their own death, such as how it would happen and the emotions involved. The second group wrote an essay about a time they experienced dental pain. Then the groups were presented with the scenario of being 65 and retiring. When asked if they wanted to put savings into an annuity, the group that had written about their own death was 50 percent less likely to choose an annuity.
Then the researchers also experimented with altering the wording in annuity brochures to see if they could influence decisions. One annuity brochure stated that the monthly payouts would be a certain amount "each year until they died" while the other said the payouts would be "each year they lived."
The change worked. More people opted for annuities when they read that the payouts would last "each year they lived."
I guess we're all a little terrified of dying. I faced cancer twice in my life so, for me, the idea of death, while not appealing or desired, is something I've had to think about. I'm still here, 10 years later, but it's not something that ever really goes away. In some ways, I feel lucky, having been exposed so young. In others, not so much.
"Our findings suggest there may be simple ways financial planners can reduce thoughts about death in these situations," Salisbury said. "There may also be strategies to help people cope with the anxiety that these thoughts might evoke."
Annuities are likely not the only decision retirees may be avoiding due to fear of death, Salisbury said. The findings could also have implications for decisions about estate planning, wills and life insurance.
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