Merrill Edge (a division of Bank of America) has put an interesting app on the web, hoping to scare the young folk into putting more money away for their retirement with Face Retirement. An interesting bit of graphic trickery to show you what you might look like when you get older (and thus make you think a bit more about the future). Would that graphic help you save for your retirement?
Yes, this is pretty much the message being sent: If you don’t save money now, you will be old and haggard and sad (like I am or am about to be). Note the wrinkles and bags under your eyes (that is kids causing that, just as a side note). This simple drawing was actually a prototype for the real system (not), but it might motivate you to save for your retirement.
Will the altered picture change the saving habits of a 23-year-old New University Grad? I somehow doubt it, but it may jolt a couple of folks, and if that happens, I suppose the tool can be deemed effective.
The message is simple if you start sooner, it will hurt less later in life, but everyone’s story is different as we have seen. but with lifespans increasing, I think this next generation is going to face a few exciting issues with the whole concept of retirement:
- Will retirement exist as a concept as they become older? Really only one or two generations have been able to take advantage of retirement (before, you usually died before you retired), but are the economic models (both at the micro, mini and macro economic level) still feasible?
- If you work until you are 75 and plan on living until you are 95, how much money should you be putting in when you are 25? I don’t think those numbers are out of whack with what might be possible in 50 years, so how does that change the equations?
- Will the concept of a pension as we know of it now still exist? As it exists now, no, I don’t think they will. If pensions do exist, they will be much more expensive, but they may be phased out in favor of the Employee taking care of this problem themselves using: CPP, RRSPs, TFSAs and such.
I was tempted to include an aged picture of myself, but given how white my goatee is now, there wouldn’t have been much difference between the before-and-after pictures.
We do have difficulty seeing our future selves (and our futures). The projections won’t do any harm and might do some good.
PS If we save lots of money, can we see a projection after plastic surgery or a hair implant?
Excellent point, have options on it “Face lift at 45” “Tummy Tuck at 50”, etc.,
Interesting toy. I doubt the aging game would work as well as taking away the iPhone or iPad for a year.
The security of money saved is very comforting! I am already past 65 years old. I will work another 5 years and retire (again). For the most part I enjoy what I am doing (teaching). I think I will always volunteer to influence young people’s lives, It makes me happy. Isn’t that what it is all about.
Precisely, do you need to retire from something you love doing and are getting paid for? That’s a darn good question to ask.
Maybe…or it might help motivate people to eat better and exercise.
A very good point I hadn’t thought about, well stated!