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Survey Shows 50+ Voters Anxious About Finances

50+ Voters’ Financial Outlook: Dissatisfied and Anxious

Voters age 50+ recently told AARP, in a series of surveys, that they are driven by economic anxieties extending well beyond the single issue of jobs. This concern was more prevalent among those not yet retired. The particular pressures facing boomer voters in Nevada are reflected in a new "Anxiety Index",
which measures their worries on issues including prices rising faster than incomes (71%) worry somewhat or very often about this), not being able to retire for financial reasons (65%), paying too much in taxes (64%), not having financial security in retirement (65%), health expenses (60%).

See Also: You’ve Earned a Say

By comparison, 23% of these boomer voters regularly worry about being able to find a full-time job with benefits or keep up with their mortgage or rent (24%), issues that are more widely discussed as leading economic issues for voters in the coming election.

Non-retired boomer voters in Nevada are also pessimistic about retirement. More than two thirds (67%) believe they will have to delay retirement, nearly half (46%) worry they won't have enough to retire. Nearly a third (32%) says they are not confident they'll ever be able to retire. They strongly (68%) believe the recent economic downturn will force them to rely more on Social Security and Medicare.

50+ Voters and the 2012 Elections

Economic anxieties among Nevada voters 50+ are leading to a general dissatisfaction with political leaders. Voters 50+ are as almost as likely to say that their personal economic circumstances were negatively affected by political gridlock in Washington (76%) as by the economic downturn (78%). Over half (51%) of these voters disapprove of President Obama’s job performance, and eighty-four percent (84%) disapprove of Congress.

Voters 50+ in Nevada want candidates to provide information on these issues. They think the candidates have done a poor job of explaining their plans on Social Security (74%) and Medicare (66%). Moving forward, voters across party lines say that getting more information on the candidates’ plans on Social Security (66%) and Medicare (64%) will help them determine their vote on Election Day.

AARP Offering Opportunities to Make Your Voice Heard

In 2012, AARP launched You’ve Earned a Say, a national conversation to ensure that Americans have a say in the future of Social Security and Medicare. We’re taking the discussion about the future of Medicare and Social Security out from behind closed doors in Washington. To date, more than 2.1 million Americans have engaged with You’ve Earned a Say to share their thoughts about how best to protect and strengthen health and retirement security for today’s seniors and future generations.

In Nevada, the You’ve Earned a Say road tour kicked off at Lake Tahoe’s Hot August Nights the first weekend of August. Hundreds of northern Nevadans and Californians were able to voice their concerns at the three-day event. AARP Nevada also hosts events and thought leader forums in communities throughout Nevada. We’ve already visited Tahoe, Reno, Carson, Fernley, Fallon and Silver Springs. For upcoming events, visit aarp.org/nv.