Retirement Savings Rise in the United States in 2005

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There are constant headlinesabout frozen pension plansand draining Social Security.Are these warningsfinally starting to sinkin for Americans? Accordingto a recent articlein the , retirement savingsin the United States roseto $14.3 trillion during 2005. TheInvestment Company Institute (ICI) publishedresearch which shows that USretirement assets grew about $1 trillionbetween 2004 and 2005—not bad consideringall the concerns that the country as awhole isn't saving enough. The overallasset growth reported by the ICI follows 2years of expansion. Starting around 1999,retirement assets flatlined, dipping severelyin 2002 due to the bear market. Sincethen, retirement assets were at $12.2 trillionin 2003, $13.5 trillion in 2004—hitting$14.3 trillion by the end of 2005. Thesays that the ICI also found thatinvestors held $7.3 trillion in individualretirement accounts and defined-contributionplans.