Perceived financial retirement preparedness and its correlates: A national study in Israel

Studies suggest that a large proportion of adults do not manage to save enough for retirement. Correlates of retirement saving behaviors have yet to be fully understood. The goal of this study was to examine perceived financial preparedness for retirement and its correlates. We studied the effect of perceived financial knowledge and involvement, social and institutional support, and attitudes toward retirement in a national sample of 227 non-retired Israeli adults (mean age = 44; 53% female; 81% Jewish). Results indicated that only about 20% perceived themselves as financially prepared for retirement. The main correlates of financial preparedness were financial knowledge and involvement in financial activities. The results show that a large proportion of the Israeli population feel underprepared for retirement. Those who perceive themselves as having high levels of financial knowledge are less predisposed to feel underprepared. Future research should examine the relationship between perceived financial preparedness and actual savings.