Posts Tagged ‘Center for Economic and Policy Research’

Richard Florida
by Richard Florida
Mon Mar 2nd 2009 at 11:08am UTC

Is the American Dream Kaput?

Monday, March 2nd, 2009

If you had any doubts, check out these nuggets from a new study by David Rosnick and Dean Baker of the Center for Economic and Policy Research (h/t Robert Wuebker). Boomers are really screwed.

So much home equity has been lost that 30% of boomers, aged 45 to 54, are underwater in their homes, according to “The Wealth of the Baby Boom Cohorts After the Collapse of the Housing Bubble. ” The report, released by D.C.-based think tank the Center for Economic and Policy Research, also found that 18% of boomers aged 55 to 64 would owe money at close if they sold their homes.

The CEPR also found that people who were renting homes in 2004 will have more wealth in 2009 than those who were owners. That’s true for all five wealth groups the study analyzed, from the poorest to the wealthiest …

Boomers between 45 and 54 have lost 45% of their median net worth, leaving them with just $80,000 in net worth, including home equity, according to the report. Older boomers have fared marginally better. Those between 55 and 64 have lost 38% of their net worth, leaving them with $140,000. But this group is rapidly nearing retirement age and they have few working years left to make up the losses.

The full study is here.