Retirement looms on the horizon for many individuals. So it's especially surprising that only one-third of U.S. couples discuss their retirement plans with one another, according to a study by research firm Hearts & Wallets.
What's even more disconcerting is that the study, "Retirement: Funding, Replacement Rate and Sources of Income," which looked at Americans' retirement lifestyle, income replacement rates and retirement income sources, showed that the percentage of couples that talk about retirement plans has dropped dramatically, from about 40 percent in 2013.
"Talking about retirement doesn't seem like a romantic conversation, but thinking about the future could recapture that spark of when you were first planning your life together," says Laura Varas, founder and principal of Hearts & Wallets, in a prepared statement. "In our studies, Americans talk about the positive benefits of retirement, like travel, less stress and time to do what they want. It's important to plan together how to optimize that last chapter of life."
