The interesting truth about why millennials aren't saving for retirement.
The truth about millennials and money is complex.
Millennials face different economic challenges than older generations did. I can speak from experience. Pensions feel like unicorns to us, and most of us live with a little monster called student debt on our backs that eats away at our paychecks. As a result, we have different financial priorities and goals, especially when it comes to retirement.
I would probably be less surprised if I came across this scene in a verdant pasture than if I saw a job posting with "pension plan" among the benefits. Painting by Domenichino, via Wikimedia Commons.
Admittedly, many millennials don't think hard about retirement at all. In fact, a recent study found that only 29% of millennials are "actively planning" for retirement ... but the real question is why. Why don't millennials think about retirement? And are we going to be stuck in cubicles until we're in our 80s?
Here's what the facts say.
Things may not be as bleak as they seem. GIF from "The Simpsons."
1. It's true: Millennials are not on track to cover our expenses in retirement.
When millennials think about retirement, they seriously lowball the amount of money they expect to spend, according to the Insured Retirement Institute and the Center for Generational Kinetics. Most millennials expect to spend $36,000 per year, but the average retired person actually goes through more like $47,000.
Another dicey finding from this study? Almost a quarter of millennials think they're going to bankroll their retirement years through the lottery or financial gifts. Yikes.
2. At this rate, many millennials will probably have to delay retirement, which means (in some cases) working until age 75.
A lot of millennials aren't planning to save for retirement until they've paid off their student loan debt, which can take a decade or more.
And it's more than just retirement that's getting delayed. In fact, one-third of recent graduates are saying that they're planning on living at home right after graduation so they can start paying it back. It's a domino effect that delays all sorts of life decisions, like getting married or buying a house.
Photo via 401(K) 2012/Flickr.
3. But more millennials are saving a decent amount of money — and sooner than their parents.
Last year, one survey found that about 56% of millennials are saving at least 5% of their income, which is 6 points higher than the year before! And other research has found that this generation began saving at a median age of 22, which follows a downward trend — reports show Gen X started around 27 and boomers at 35.
4. Plus, Americans in general (not just millennials) are planning to retire later.
In fact, the lack of focus on retirement might have more to do with a switch in mindset than a lack of financial knowledge.Stats show that the number of non-retired people who say they plan to retire after age 65 has grown from 14% in 1995 to 31% in 2009 and 37% in 2015. The expected age at retirement has been creeping up for a while.
Nary a latte in sight. Photo by ITU Pictures/Flickr (altered).
When most millennials entered adulthood, the economy was collapsing, the job market was super bleak, and the housing crisis was in full swing.
So while the majority of millennials appear to be pretty good at saving money when they can, the context is important. In general, millennials tend to avoid investments because the stock market seems like a house of cards, and the job market still feels fairly tenuous.
Millennials do, in fact, have financial priorities. But for most of them, there's a generational switch going on: Quitting work for the last couple decades of their lives isn't at the top of their priority list. Most 20-somethings are taking advantage of 401(k)s when they can, but they're also saving their money for meaningful experiences — like travel — because they'll be satisfied by a "semi-retirement."
You can't do this with an IRA. GIF from "Mad Men."
Beaver in water. Photo by 
An actual beaver dam on the now-thriving Price River
Not just coworkers—family, friends, strangers, kids…
Imagine having to go so badly but being out of euros. 
Anything hobbit-esque can't be wrong. 
But what if you need pain meds AND mascara?!
Imagine how this would affect childcare.
Honestly…where's the lie?
A brown buddha statue sits near a green mountain. Photo by 
Urgent dash to the bathroom! 🚪🏃♂️
Ladybug unexpectedly found during colonoscopyPhoto credit: 
Close-up of bottom of ladybug found in colonPhoto credit: 
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."