Although 31 percent of Americans think that investing is “risky” and thus don't do it, they certainly don't view the lottery in the same way—despite the fact that they're more likely to be killed by a vending machine or canonized as a saint than win the jackpot. (Photo: Shutterstock)
Do you feel lucky?
Ironically, although they're likely too young to remember that Dirty Harry quote (“… you've got to ask yourself one question — 'Do I feel lucky?'”), millennials are the ones who should be asking themselves that question—since 59 percent of them think that the lottery is the answer to their retirement planning dilemmas.
It may not be as dangerous as Harry's question, or the outcome of the one at the end of the eponymous classic Shirley Jackson short story, but playing the lottery as a substitute for retirement saving certainly isn't safe.
Although 31 percent of Americans think that investing is “risky” and thus don't do it, they certainly don't view the lottery in the same way—despite the fact that they're more likely to be killed by a vending machine, canonized as a saint, get crushed by aircraft parts falling from the sky, get elected President of the U.S. — which technically need not be on that list anymore – die from flesh-eating bacteria or be crushed to death by a meteorite, before they win the jackpot.
In fact, 39 percent of Americans overall (including that 59 percent of millennials), according to consumer investing app STASH, “feel it's reasonable to think of the lottery jackpot as a potential means of retirement.”
And 18 percent overall are actually basing their retirement plans on such a forlorn hope, including 26 percent of millennials, 19 percent of GenXers and 13 percent of boomers.
Millennial men are farther down the yellow brick road than millennial women, at 66 percent compared with 58 percent, but if they did win, the fellas would be more inclined to save or invest the lot (61 percent) than the gals (42 percent). Sure, they say that now, but…
As it is, 22 percent of Americans are planning on working a part-time job during retirement, with 4 percent of workers actually planning to move abroad in search of cheaper living and 3 percent hoping to marry a millionaire (well, someone who will support them).
But when you consider millennials' financial condition vis-à-vis retirement, it's no wonder so many are pinning their hopes on those little bouncing balls.
Not only are 76 percent of them living paycheck to paycheck, millennial women (29 percent) are more than twice as likely as men (12 percent) to also have debt and be unable to save anything.
In addition, millennial women, at 31 percent, are nearly three times more likely than men (13 percent) to have no retirement plan of any kind.
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Marlene Satter
Marlene Y. Satter has worked in and written about the financial industry for decades.
