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The generation referred to as Baby Boomers includes individuals born between 1946 and 1964 and is often a difficult group to analyze and target. Baby Boomers run the gamut of different life stages – from single to married with young children to empty nesters and everywhere in between. According to the Insured Retirement Institute (IRI), only 25% of this age cohort are confident their savings will last throughout retirement. Creating a retirement income plan, deferring your retirement by even one year, analyzing your guaranteed incomes, understanding the makeup of your accounts and the differences in taxation laws are some of the ways to help improve your financial security as you enter retirement. Are you ready for retirement? How do you compare to other Boomers?

1. 4 in 10 Boomers plan to take money out of their 401(k) accounts before retirement.

This is a big NO in the world of retirement financial planning 101. Your 401(k) is principle protected and is designed to pay your income for the rest of your life. Withdrawing sooner is a huge mistake. While 4 in 10 plan to withdraw from this type of account, only 22 percent consider their 401(k) to be a major source of their retirement income.

2. 7 in 10 Boomers like the idea of a guaranteed pension style income.

Pensions are not as frequently found as they were in the past. Boomers value that certainty and security of a pension style income as they get close to retirement. Yet, only 14 percent plan to purchase an annuity with a portion of their 401(k) or IRA.

3. More than half of all Boomers are relying on Social Security as a big source of their income.

Statistically, Boomers don’t have enough savings, are not managing their accounts well enough and therefore are relying heavily on Social Security. Over 76 percent of individuals say that changes in Social Security which will negatively affect their income is one of the top two concerns regarding their retirement year. The other major concern is that the unpredictability of Social Security will impact their health care expenses. And, we know from many studies and research that the increasing cost of long-term care and health care expenses will cause many families hardships unless they have planned accordingly.

4. Over 50% of individuals do not manage or review their accounts regularly.

It is very important to rebalance your investments about once a year. While 80% of Boomers check their balances quarterly, only half actually take the time to analyze their accounts and then rebalance.

If you are a Baby Boomer, most likely some of the statistics and findings resonate very closely with you. On a positive note, it is never too late to turn things around. Creating a relationship with a financial advisor or retirement planning specialist highly correlates to feeling prepared for retirement. According to the Insured Retirement Institute, close to 80 percent of Boomers who worked with a financial professional have at least $100,000 saved for retirement compared to 48 percent who have not worked with someone.