1. FACT SHEET Age of Opportunity Study
The Hartford/MIT AgeLab
Age of Opportunity Study
Americans Transitioning Into Retirement
The Hartford and MIT AgeLab’s October 2011 Age of Opportunity Study surveyed nearly 2,000 retirement-age adults to gain a better understanding of their aspirations, anxieties, attitudes and opinions as they transition into the next phase of their lives. The study, conducted by GfK Roper for The Hartford and the AgeLab, surveyed people who are within 10 years of retiring versus those who have retired within the last 10 years, and posed the question, “Does the reality of retirement match expectations?” Primary findings are summarized below.
Despite economic uncertainty, the “Age of Opportunity” study reveals the “retirement experience” may even be better than expected for some.
When it comes to sentiment about retirement, pre-retirees are twice as likely to describe their feeling about retirement as “hopeful,” while those who are already retired are twice as likely to characterize retirement as “peaceful.”
Retirees are more likely to say, “I am happier now that I am retired” than pre-retirees are to say, “I will be happier after I retire.”
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2. The Hartford Age of Opportunity Study –
Most recent and soon-to-be retirees see very few negatives about retiring.
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3. Good health after retirement is the No. 1 concern for most Americans.
The Hartford Age of Opportunity Study –
Good health after retirement is the No. 1 concern for most Americans.
Most people believe that taking care of your health is just as important as taking care of your finances – and that poor health can have a significant impact on retirement.
Most Americans at or near retirement age see themselves living well into their 80s or beyond.
Retirement is the age of opportunity – a time for pursuing both emotional and financial fulfillment.
For those nearing retirement and already retired, a variety of life events triggered serious financial planning for retirement – such as a milestone birthday.
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4. A Look at Affluent Americans
The Hartford Age of Opportunity Study –
A Look at Affluent Americans
More affluent retirees – those with $250,000 or more of investable assets – are twice as likely to say they began serious financial planning when they got their first job.
Among retirees, the affluent segment is twice as likely as others to cite giving up a fulfilling career as a negative to retirement.
Affluent pre-retirees are significantly more likely than less affluent ones to say they would move to a more modest home or “trade down” their car if they needed to make ends meet in retirement.
The idea of enjoying more leisure time in retirement is especially appealing to those with larger nest eggs. Retired affluent Americans are much more likely than those below the $250,000 threshold to put leisure time at the top of the list.
Affluent pre-retirees and retirees are significantly more likely to say they feel “prepared” for retirement.
Source: The Hartford-MIT AgeLab Age of Opportunity Study Page 4 of 6

5. The Hartford Age of Opportunity Study –
Retirees look forward to spending time on things they view as important.
While both pre-retirees and retirees relish the idea of spending more time with family and friends, pre-retirees plan to spend more time traveling and pursuing leisure and recreational activities than their retired counterparts spend in practice. And contrary to popular speculation and reports of people working longer and throughout retirement, only 16 percent of pre-retirees say they expect to work part time during retirement for money or benefits, and only 9 percent of those up to 10 years into retirement actually are working.
Survey Methodology
From Oct. 3-16, 2011, GfK Roper conducted a total of 1,964 telephone interviews with adults 45 years and older using RDD (random digit dialing). To qualify, respondents must have retired in the past 2-10 years (“retiree”) or plan to retire in the next 2-10 years (“pre-retiree”). These groups were further divided based on their household’s total investable assets, with quotas for under $250,000 and $250,000 or more.
The full research report is available upon request.
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6. “The Hartford” is The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc
“The Hartford” is The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries. The Hartford is a founding partner of the MIT AgeLab. The MIT AgeLab and Gfk Roper are not subsidiaries or affiliates of The Hartford
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