The Dependency Ratio

"Longer lifespans, falling fertility rates and growing ranks of elderly people in Asia can pose problems as serious as the impact of climate change."

"Problems linked to ageing populations will complicate Asian economies' recovery from the global financial crisis."

"Countries with a large number of elderly people and a low birth rate will face demographic and economic problems supporting a large number of seniors."

"Australia on Monday unveiled a 43 million Australian dollar (38 million US) plan to keep older people in the workforce in a bid to ward off an economic slowdown expected as the growing population ages."

These are the truths that are rearing their ugly heads...we are not going to be able to retire...At least in the sense of retiring like our parent's generation...you give notice, the company gives you a watch and a big cake...you pull up your roots and move to motor home city, someplace warm, sipping pina coladas, playing bridge.

Nope, if we retire...we're still going to have to work.  So, does it make sense to retire?  Because no work found in retirement will give you the same income as you are making now.  So...if I quit and work at McDonald's or as a greeter at WalMart...is that how I want my retirement to look...  Or do I want to keep working so I can take an occassional wonderful vacation, buy a new car and afford the top shelf libation?

In other cultures, retirement means moving in with your children.  In American...retirement means your children "may" be moving in with you...sharing the mortgage and consolidating bills.  America has a harder time with this concept because it is not part of the culture to have multigenerational co-habitation.  We don't respect our elderly as much.  A cultural shift as large as the one that is occuring may take a generation or two. 

 Our children if we have played our parental cards right will understand the need for hard work.  Their children growing up in these economic times may understand that money does not grow on trees...but for us...we grew up and worked a majority of our lifes on the crest of an economic tsunami...creating bigger and more...taking vacations, spending and living the high life...and now it has hit land and has caused emotional and economic destruction in it's wake. Some of our children will be in as big a shock as we are with the tough decisions...But as with the history of our generation, how we weather our decisions, what choices we make will have an impact on our children's lives.

Retiring, working part time at McD's and taking a vacation once a year to Lake Billy Chinook...well...not my cup of tea...