Younger generations are better prepared for retirement, with a catch

Didier Malagies • December 13, 2023


Baby boomers’ retirement readiness is a regular source of discussion among reverse mortgage professionals, and a new report from Vanguard claims that generation is generally less well-prepared for retirement than Gen Xers and millennials.

That fact, however, is not so cut-and-dry.

Taking a deeper look at the data and speaking to certain financial advisors on the topic, Fortune determined that at least part of the reason for this is because there are certain regulatory and practice advantages that younger generations have had that baby boomers simply did not have access to.

“[T]he better retirement readiness was a result of decades of new regulations that made it easier for millennials to save for retirement, especially when compared to when boomers entered the workforce roughly 40 years ago,” the column explained.


Home equity, which is a large component of many baby boomers’ wealth, was also not factored into the study, Fortune said.


“Vanguard measured the percentage of pre-retirement income and savings of households at different income levels needed to retire comfortably and how far from that target they actually were,” the column explained. “In all but the lowest quartile of households, boomers are projected to be less prepared than younger generations.”


Only a “small slice” of age groups within each studied demographic were measured since gauging the readiness of the complete generational age ranges would’ve been too onerous, according to a Vanguard representative. However, within the studied age ranges there is another caveat.


“Within the study Vanguard’s researchers looked only at financial holdings, such as stocks, cash, and bonds, and didn’t include housing, which can be a significant source of an individual’s net worth that can be tapped for retirement,” the column explained.


Researchers also found that retirement plans are simply more robust than they were while baby boomers were either entering or in the prime of their careers.


“In 1978, Congress passed legislation to create the modern-day 401(k) retirement accounts into which some employers match contributions,” the column explained. “Previously, many employers paid pensions to retired workers. But as employees lived longer, changed jobs more frequently, and unions lost power, companies became less enthused about shelling out money for ex-employees to enjoy retirement.”

Recent pushes toward automatic 401(k) enrollments have also been a game-changer according to Steve Azoury, an independent financial planner from Troy, Michigan.



“The procrastinator who says, ‘I’ll get to it later on’ and never gets to it—he’s automatically enrolled,” Azoury told Fortune. “And then when he starts seeing statements with his name on it and his accounts are growing, he gets very excited.”



Have A Question?

Use the form below and we will give your our expert answers!

Reverse Mortgage Ask A Question


Start Your Loan with DDA today
Your local Mortgage Broker

Mortgage Broker Largo
See our Reviews

Looking for more details? Listen to our extended podcast! 

Check out our other helpful videos to learn more about credit and residential mortgages.

By Didier Malagies September 17, 2025
A new survey from Clever Real Estate shows that 61% of baby boomer homeowners say they “never” plan to sell their homes, a jump of 7 percentage points from 2024. The main reason? More than half want to age in place. That’s a big shift. Baby boomers now make up the largest share of U.S. homeowners, and if more than 6 in 10 say they’ll “never” sell, that has ripple effects: Inventory squeeze : With fewer boomers putting homes on the market, younger buyers have less supply to choose from, which can keep prices elevated. Aging in place trend : The desire to stay put often means investing in accessibility upgrades—things like stair lifts, walk-in showers, and smart home tech for safety. Generational divide : Millennials and Gen Z face higher borrowing costs and limited starter-home availability, while boomers are holding onto larger family homes longer. Long-term planning : Some experts note that many of these homes will eventually transfer through inheritance rather than sales, changing how housing stock re-enters the market. Didier Malagies nmls212566 DDA Mortgage nmls324329
By Didier Malagies September 10, 2025
Excited to share a major update that will make the homebuying process more secure and less stressful. President Donald Trump recently signed the Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act of 2025 into law. This bill is a significant victory for the real estate industry, as it directly addresses the problem of unwanted calls, texts, and emails that often flood clients upon mortgage application. What's Changing? For years, many borrowers have experienced a barrage of unsolicited contact from different lenders immediately after their mortgage application. This happens because of "trigger leads"—a process where credit reporting agencies sell information to other companies once a credit inquiry is made. Effective March 5, 2026, this new law will put a stop to this practice. It will severely limit who can receive client contact information, ensuring client privacy is protected. A credit reporting agency will only be able to share trigger lead information with a third party if: • Clients explicitly consent to the solicitations. • The third party has an existing business relationship. This change means a more efficient, respectful, and responsible homebuying journey. We are committed to a seamless process and will keep you informed of any further developments as the effective date approaches. In the meantime, you can use the information below to inform clients how to proactively protect themselves from unwanted solicitations.  Opting Out: • OptOutPrescreen.com: You can opt out of trigger leads through the official opt-out service, OptOutPrescreen.com. • Do Not Call Registry: You can also register your phone number with the National Do Not Call Registry to reduce unsolicited calls. • DMA.choice.org: For mail solicitations, you can register with DMA.choice.org to reduce promotional mail. tune in and learn https://www.ddamortgage.com/blog didier malagies nmls#212566 dda mortgage nmls#324329
By Didier Malagies September 10, 2025
We're excited to share a major update that will make the homebuying process more secure and less stressful. President Donald Trump recently signed the Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act of 2025 into law. This bill is a significant victory for the real estate industry, as it directly addresses the problem of unwanted calls, texts, and emails that often flood clients upon mortgage application. What's Changing? For years, many borrowers have experienced a barrage of unsolicited contact from different lenders immediately after their mortgage application. This happens because of "trigger leads"—a process where credit reporting agencies sell information to other companies once a credit inquiry is made. Effective March 5, 2026, this new law will put a stop to this practice. It will severely limit who can receive client contact information, ensuring client privacy is protected. A credit reporting agency will only be able to share trigger lead information with a third party if: • Clients explicitly consent to the solicitations. • The third party has an existing business relationship. This change means a more efficient, respectful, and responsible homebuying journey. We are committed to a seamless process and will keep you informed of any further developments as the effective date approaches. In the meantime, you can use the information below to inform clients how to proactively protect themselves from unwanted solicitations. Opting Out: • OptOutPrescreen.com: You can opt out of trigger leads through the official opt-out service, OptOutPrescreen.com. • Do Not Call Registry: You can also register your phone number with the National Do Not Call Registry to reduce unsolicited calls. • DMA.choice.org: For mail solicitations, you can register with DMA.choice.org to reduce promotional mail. Didier Malagies nmls212566 DDA Mortgage nmls324329 
Show More