The concept, and reality, of retirement is changing drastically. Many baby boomers will have a different retirement from their parents. And Gen Xers, we assume, even more so. Back in the day, there was Social Security for those who didn't work—or who worked but didn't/couldn't save. There were pensions that delivered a set amount of money every month at the end of a career that might have spanned anywhere from 20–35 years at the same company. Now, there are 401(k)s, and gig work, robo-advisors and smartphone savings apps. It's almost—no, it is—a different language, and not all would-be retirees are fluent—or, for that matter, speak it at all. There have been lots of other changes, too, as highlighted by Kiplinger, which pointed out that 25 years ago it launched its Retirement Report. In the gallery above, we thought we'd review some of the differences Kiplinger noted between Then and Now, and add our own insights into how retirement itself, retirement advice or the amounts recommended to finance those later years have changed. READ MORE: What will retirement planning look like in 2020? Top 4 trends shaping retirement income products 7 trends in 2019 for the retirement industry

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Marlene Satter

Marlene Y. Satter has worked in and written about the financial industry for decades.