Nearly seven in 10 Americans say they are confident they will retire with enough income and assets to last them the rest of their lives. That's up from 54 percent two years ago, and 45 percent five years ago.
Much of the increase has been among those who say they're "very confident." One-third say so, compared to just two in 10 in 1999, and 16 percent in 1996.
Confident You’ll Retire Comfortably? |
| DATE | YES | NO |
| Now | 68 percent | 23 percent |
| July 1999 | 54 percent | 39 percent |
July 1996 | 45 percent | 47 percent | | |
These results come on the heels of a recent report that the average 401(k) retirement savings plan lost money last year for the first time in its 20-year history.
 Retirement Funds Lose Ground
But polls have shown that many people view themselves as long-term investors who are not vulnerable to the stock market's daily fluctuations. Indeed, an ABCNEWS/Washington Post poll in January found that only 12 percent of Americans felt they were affected a "great deal" by the ups and downs of the stock market.
Riding Wall Street's Wave
Naturally, the more you earn, the more confident you feel. More than eight in 10 people with household incomes of at least $50,000 say they're confident that they'll have enough money when they retire. That drops to just 46 percent among people earning less than $25,000 a year.
Confident You’ll Retire Comfortably? |
| ANNUAL INCOME | YES | NO |
| Less than $25,000 | 46 percent | 42 percent |
| $25,000 to $50,000 | 65 percent | 28 percent |
More than $50,000 | 82 percent | 14 percent | | |
Methodology
This ABCNEWS.com survey was conducted by telephone July 11-15 among a random national sample of 1,022 adults. The results have a three-point error margin. Sampling, data collection and tabulation by TNS Intersearch of Horsham, Pa.
 Four Pillars of Retirement Security
Previous ABCNEWS polls can be found in our Poll Vault.
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