Retirement preparedness in two countries

A 2009 survey of 1,000 adults each in Japan and the United States by HSBC Insurance found:

USA JAPAN

Very well Very unprepared: Very well Very unprepared:

prepared No retirement prepared No retirement
14% planning 3% planning
19% 24%

Fairly well Fairly Fairly well Fairly

prepared: unprepared: prepared: unprepared:
Some little planning, Some little planning,
planning, no confidence planning, no confidence
uncertain about about retirement uncertain about about retirement
retirement income income retirement income income
44% 23% 23% 50%

Retirement savings Japanese private savings at retirement

Total savings and investments Less than $6,100 5.5%
reported by U.S. retirees, 2011:
$6,100 - $12,200 4.8%
$12,200 - $36,600 9.7%
$250,000 or more: 17%
$36,600 - $61,000 11.4%
$61,000 - $122,000 17.3%
$100,000 - $249,999: 12%
$122,000 - $183,000 10.1%

$50,000 - $99,999: 11% $183,000 - $244,000 8.3%

$244,000 - $305,000 4.6%
$25,000 - $49,999: 6%
$305,000 - $366,000 4%
$10,000 - $24,999: 12% $366,000 - $427,000 1.9%
$427,000 - $488,000 1.7%
$1,000 - $9,999: 14%
$488,000 - $610,000 2%
More than $610,000 5.6%
No answer 13.1%
Less than $1,000: 28%
Note: Amounts converted from yen to dollars at
Y82=$1, then rounded to nearest thousandth
SOURCES: The Future of Retirement, 2009, HSBC Insurance; Nomura Research Institute, July 2010, survey of 1,000 Japanese born
in 1947-1949; 2011 Retirement Confidence Survey, Employee Benefit Research Institute and Mathew Greenwald & Associates
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