U.S. Drops in Global Retirement Rankings

U.S. Drops in Global Retirement Rankings

The United States slipped one spot to No. 17 among developed nations in the 2021 Global Retirement Index (GRI) released last week by Natixis Investment Managers (Natixis IM).

The ninth annual index, a snapshot of the relative financial security of retirees in 44 countries, shows that many Americans feel that their retirement dreams are slipping away, notably as a result of the macro-economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, including increased government debt, rising inflation and persistently low interest rates, according to Natixis.  

Highlights:

  • The U.S. dropped one place from last year with lower scores in health, happiness and government debt and a higher ratio of retirees to workers. Iceland ranked number one for a third consecutive year;
  • Three-quarters (77 percent) of Americans surveyed by Natixis Investment Managers think that rising government debt will lead to reduced Social Security benefits making it harder for four in 10 to make ends meet in retirement;
  • Four in 10 say “It’s going to take a miracle” to retire securely, because COVID-19 made it more difficult; and
  • Nearly six in ten U.S. investors believe income inequality is detrimental to overall retirement security. Most think private sector businesses have a role in helping Americans save for retirement.

Natixis notes that while the retirement conditions in the U.S. have improved since 2013 when the first GRI ranked the U.S. 19th overall, the country has never cracked the top 10. The U.S. slipped one spot from No. 16 in 2020 after life expectancy in the U.S. dropped one full year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, pushing the country’s Health rating down. Read the full report.

Published by

Darryl Hicks

Darryl Hicks is Vice President of Communications for the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association. In this capacity, Hicks writes for NRMLA's publications, manages the association's web sites and social media accounts, assists committees and the Board of Directors, and manages the Certified Reverse Mortgage Professional designation. Prior to joining NRMLA in 1999, Hicks spent three years in the Washington, D.C. bureau for National Mortgage News.