Aug. 20--The population of single people is rising, but along with that growth comes a troubling statistic about their retirement savings accounts: Only 51 percent of unattached people have one, according to a study released Wednesday by Mintel.
That's far less than people who are living with a partner or who are married, the research firm said.
Retirement savings accounts have been set up, in contrast, by 68 percent of people living with a partner and 84 percent of married adults.
Almost half of adults today don't live with a spouse, according to the U.S. Census. That's up from about 30 percent in 1967.
"More Americans are staying single longer, and our data shows this trend will hold out for the foreseeable future," Robyn Kaiserman, Mintel financial services analyst, said in the report.
By postponing setting up retirement savings accounts, they'll accumulate less money over time, Kaiserman said.
Mintel's report also suggests that Americans overall need to take retirement more seriously.
Just 27 percent contribute the maximum allowed to their plan, and 22 percent say they contribute only enough to get the employer match.
byerak@tribpub.com
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