CNBC's "Boomer Angst" And Myths And Facts About Getting Old

CNBC has a special out tomorrow night titled "Boomer Angst"that will air at 9 pm EST and midnight. Watch it--because you need to know that baby boomers are not even close to having enough for their retirement. I've put upa number of facts on my blog today about this crisis.--here's a few more.

This is in the form of "Myths and Reality" from an upcoming book from the Center for Retirement Research at Boston University. The authors are Alicia H. Munnell and Steven Sass, the book is entitled "Working Longer: The Solution to the Retirement Income Challenge," and will be published by the Brookings Institution Press.

Myth: Older workers will choose to work longer on their own.

Reality: Most people retire as soon as benefits are available at age 62.

Myth: As baby boomers approach retirement, employers will embrace older workers.

Reality: Many employers are lukewarm toward retaining older workers due to concerns that they cost too much, lack current skills, and don't plan to stick around long.

Myth: Older workers have little to offer employers.

Reality: Older workers often have advantages over younger workers - including higher productivity, better judgment, a stronger work ethic, and better people skills.

Myth: Most workers can work longer by remaining with their career employer.

Reality: Career employment is declining fast - only 44 percent of male workers age 58-62 are still with their age-50 employer, down from 70 percent two decades ago.

Myth: The working longer prescription is the answer for everyone.

Reality: While today's older workers are generally healthier and better educated, up to a third could be hard pressed to work into their mid-60s due to poor health or job prospects.

Myth: Government cannot do much to encourage longer work lives.

Reality: Raising Social Security's earliest eligibility age of 62 could push back the work/retirement divide by changing the mindset of both workers and employers.

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