越来越多美国人提前动用退休金
由于物价居高不下，而且官方警告未来可能“多次”加息，因此现在许多美国人感觉个人财务状况不容乐观。而且有最新数据显示，许多人为了维持生计不得不动用退休金。
过去一年，虽然生活成本持续上涨且美联储积极收紧货币政策，但美国经济依旧表现出出人意料的韧性。但家庭负债却在稳步增长，今年第二季度信用卡欠款“快速增长”，首次超过1万亿美元，因此有分析师警告美国即将发生消费者支出大幅减少。
在周二发布的一篇报告中，美国银行（Bank of America）发现一个令人不安的现象：许多人开始从401（k）养老金计划中取款。
数据来自美国银行最新一期的《参与者动态》（Participant Pulse）报告。该报告监控其档案管理客户员工福利计划的400多万参与者的行为。
数据显示，2023年第二季度，选择所谓“困难分配”的参与者人数激增。所谓“困难分配”是指因紧急财务需求从401（k）账户提款。
选择“困难分配”的人数较一年前同期增长了36%，而且较第一季度增长了12%。
这意味着在截至6月份的三个月，有约16,000名研究参与者需要紧急财务援助。
据美国银行统计，第二季度的平均困难分配金额为5,050美元。这比去年同期有所好转，因为去年同期的平均提取金额为5,400美元。
此外，动用401（k）资金的人数也有所增加，有75,000名参与者以其工作场所的退休计划作为抵押申请了贷款，约占总参与者人数的2.5%。
4月至6月，从401（k）账户借款的参与者，较之前三个月增加了约三分之一。
千禧一代和Z世代的退休储蓄最多
虽然越来越多401（k）退休计划的参与者纷纷从账户中提取现金，但美国银行在周二表示，平均缴费率依旧稳定在收入的6.5%。
4月至6月，401（k）账户持有人平均缴费1,460美元，平均账户余额为82,300美元，较2022年末增长约10%。
统计数据显示，更多参与者提高而不是降低了缴费率，其中千禧一代和Z世代员工增加缴费的幅度最大。
美国银行退休与个人财富解决方案负责人洛娜·萨比亚在一份声明中表示：“我们的报告中统计的数据显示出两种趋势：一方面，退休金账户余额增长，年轻员工更乐观并坚持缴费，另一种趋势则是提取退休金的情况增多。今年，更多员工优先考虑短期支出，而不是长期储蓄，这情有可原。然而，关键是员工依旧在为退休这项人生中规模最大的支出继续投资。”
除了美国银行，还有其他401（k）计划的主要提供商也注意到，过去一年，面对普遍存在的财务焦虑，退休资金趋势发生了变化。
投资管理公司先锋集团（Vanguard）在去年年底发布的数据显示，越来越多退休储蓄用户开始动用自己的资金，其基金中的困难提款现象增多。
先锋集团称，2021年至2022年平均退休账户余额减少了20%，而富达投资（Fidelity Investments）则表示，去年主要受到市场波动的影响，退休储蓄受到冲击，401（k）账户和个人退休账户（IRA）金额超过百万美元的用户数量减少了30%。
这可能意味着约三分之二增长依赖私人消费的美国经济将陷入麻烦。（财富中文网）
翻译：刘进龙
审校：汪皓
美国银行称，随着利率升高，美国人开始动用自己的退休金。盖蒂图片社
由于物价居高不下，而且官方警告未来可能“多次”加息，因此现在许多美国人感觉个人财务状况不容乐观。而且有最新数据显示，许多人为了维持生计不得不动用退休金。
过去一年，虽然生活成本持续上涨且美联储积极收紧货币政策，但美国经济依旧表现出出人意料的韧性。但家庭负债却在稳步增长，今年第二季度信用卡欠款“快速增长”，首次超过1万亿美元，因此有分析师警告美国即将发生消费者支出大幅减少。
在周二发布的一篇报告中，美国银行（Bank of America）发现一个令人不安的现象：许多人开始从401（k）养老金计划中取款。
数据来自美国银行最新一期的《参与者动态》（Participant Pulse）报告。该报告监控其档案管理客户员工福利计划的400多万参与者的行为。
数据显示，2023年第二季度，选择所谓“困难分配”的参与者人数激增。所谓“困难分配”是指因紧急财务需求从401（k）账户提款。
选择“困难分配”的人数较一年前同期增长了36%，而且较第一季度增长了12%。
这意味着在截至6月份的三个月，有约16,000名研究参与者需要紧急财务援助。
据美国银行统计，第二季度的平均困难分配金额为5,050美元。这比去年同期有所好转，因为去年同期的平均提取金额为5,400美元。
此外，动用401（k）资金的人数也有所增加，有75,000名参与者以其工作场所的退休计划作为抵押申请了贷款，约占总参与者人数的2.5%。
4月至6月，从401（k）账户借款的参与者，较之前三个月增加了约三分之一。
千禧一代和Z世代的退休储蓄最多
虽然越来越多401（k）退休计划的参与者纷纷从账户中提取现金，但美国银行在周二表示，平均缴费率依旧稳定在收入的6.5%。
4月至6月，401（k）账户持有人平均缴费1,460美元，平均账户余额为82,300美元，较2022年末增长约10%。
统计数据显示，更多参与者提高而不是降低了缴费率，其中千禧一代和Z世代员工增加缴费的幅度最大。
美国银行退休与个人财富解决方案负责人洛娜·萨比亚在一份声明中表示：“我们的报告中统计的数据显示出两种趋势：一方面，退休金账户余额增长，年轻员工更乐观并坚持缴费，另一种趋势则是提取退休金的情况增多。今年，更多员工优先考虑短期支出，而不是长期储蓄，这情有可原。然而，关键是员工依旧在为退休这项人生中规模最大的支出继续投资。”
除了美国银行，还有其他401（k）计划的主要提供商也注意到，过去一年，面对普遍存在的财务焦虑，退休资金趋势发生了变化。
投资管理公司先锋集团（Vanguard）在去年年底发布的数据显示，越来越多退休储蓄用户开始动用自己的资金，其基金中的困难提款现象增多。
先锋集团称，2021年至2022年平均退休账户余额减少了20%，而富达投资（Fidelity Investments）则表示，去年主要受到市场波动的影响，退休储蓄受到冲击，401（k）账户和个人退休账户（IRA）金额超过百万美元的用户数量减少了30%。
这可能意味着约三分之二增长依赖私人消费的美国经济将陷入麻烦。（财富中文网）
翻译：刘进龙
审校：汪皓
A lot of Americans don’t feel great about their personal finances right now, with prices remaining high and officials warning there could still be “multiple” interest rate hikes on the horizon—and according to new data, many are turning to their retirement funds to help make ends meet.
The U.S. economy has remained surprisingly resilient over the past year in spite of rising living costs and the Federal Reserve’s aggressive tightening of monetary policy. Household debt has been steadily rising, however, with credit cards balances seeing “brisk growth” in the second quarter of the year to surpass $1 trillion for the first time, which has some analysts warning a major decline in consumer spending could be right around the corner.
In a report published Tuesday, Bank of America now found that an alarming number of people were making withdrawals from their 401(k) plans.
The data came from the latest instalment in the bank’s Participant Pulse report, which monitors the behavior of more than 4 million participants in its record-keeping clients’ employee benefits programs..
It showed that in the second quarter of 2023, the number of participants taking what are called “hardship distributions“—a 401(k) withdrawal made due to an immediate and heavy financial need—had surged.
Not only did it jump 36% from the same period a year ago, the number of people taking hardship distributions also sequentially increased by 12% over the immediately preceding first quarter.
That meant almost 16,000 of the study participants needed immediate financial aid in the three months to June.
The average hardship amount taken in the second quarter was $5,050, according to Bank of America. This represented an improvement over the previous year’s period, however, when an average $5,400 had been taken out.
Meanwhile, the overall number of people dipping into their 401(k) fund also increased, with 2.5% of participants—or 75,000 account holders—taking a loan out against their workplace plan.
Between April and June, roughly a third more participants had borrowed cash from their 401(k) than in the preceding three months of this year.
Millennials and Gen Z socking more money away for retirement
Despite 401(k) holders taking cash out of their accounts at an increasing rate, BofA said on Tuesday that the average contribution rate had remained steady at 6.5% of income.
Between April and June, the average 401(k) holder made contributions of $1,460 to their account, with the average account balance standing at $82,300—up almost 10% from the end of 2022.
More participants increased than decreased their contribution rate, the stats showed, with millennial and Gen Z employees leading the way on increasing their contributions.
“The data from our report tells two stories—one of balance growth, optimism from younger employees and maintaining contributions, contrasted with a trend of increased plan withdrawals,” Lorna Sabbia, head of retirement and personal wealth solutions at Bank of America, said in a statement. “This year, more employees are understandably prioritizing short-term expenses over long-term saving. However, it’s critical that employees continue to invest in life’s biggest expense—retirement.”
Bank of America isn’t the only major 401(k) provider to have noticed changes in retirement fund trends over the past year amid widespread financial anxiety.
Investment management firm Vanguard released data at the end of last year that showed retirement savers were dipping into their funds at an increasing rate, with hardship withdrawals across its funds on the rise.
According to Vanguard, the average retirement account balance plummeted 20% between 2021 and 2022, while Fidelity Investments said the number of 401(k) and IRA millionaires fell by 30% last year as retirement savings took a hit—thanks largely to volatile markets.
This could prove problematic for an economy that depends on private consumption for roughly two-thirds of its growth.
