Based on all the headlines and talking heads, the economy's purring back to life. The Dow is back to pre-crash levels, private sector jobs are returning and consumers are cautiously optimistic again.
So why is everyone still so scared of the stock market? A new Gallup poll reveals only 54 percent of Americans hold individual stocks, mutual funds or 401(k) and individual IRA stocks. That's the lowest level of Americans invested in the market in the 12-year history of this particular Gallup poll and big 11 percent dip from 2007.
And while we can't blame Glenn Beck's gold rush – who's more of a symptom than the disease – American workers are much more likely to sink their money into currency than stocks.
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And Gallup's demographics back that up, as well. Those making less than $75,000 are far less likely to risk the stock market and those in their 20s are staying away from Wall Street in droves.
Point is, while we're all so pre-occupied with health reform and ever-increasing premiums, we risk letting employee retirement planning slip through the cracks. I mean, what's the point of getting your employee to retirement age if they can't even afford to live through it?
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