Faces of the Retirement Income Deficit

Announcer:  A secure retirement is part of the American dream, but of million of Americans that dream has been shattered.

Karen O’Quinn:  I worked for corporate America for many years and after being laid off, I had to recreate myself.  I like millions of people in this country have no retirement and no savings for retirement.  I do not know how I am going to make it. 

Announcer:  Karen is typical of too many Americans who have done everything right- worked hard and tried to save.  Now they are living sleepless nights wondering how they are going survive when they reach retirement age. 

Brian Edwards:  I have a 401(k), but now that I am self-employed nothing else is getting put into it.  It is basically sitting there.  I have not checked it since the stock market crashed. So I have a feeling that there isn’t much in it. 

Noah Silver:  I have been singing-songwriting to six years.  When people tell me to save for retirement, I have to be honest; it is not in the cards. 

Alane Rose:  At this time, I am not able to save for retirement.  My business is not profitable enough to pay all my bills and save for retirement. 

C. William Jones:  Well my kids and grandkids are really going to have a difficult time, because as of right now, I don’t know what kind of pension they can depend upon.

David Muse:  You work until you either fall apart, your health totally crumble or you die!

Announcer:  These stories come from people of all ages and backgrounds.  Half the private workforce in this country have not pension or savings plan to supplement Social Security. 

Desmond Brown:  For my own retirement, I have a 401(k). It does not mean much in some regard because it is probably less than twenty thousand dollars.  I mean the highest at one time was forty-five thousand dollars, but I had to go into it a couple times over the years just to help cover expenses here.

Announcer:  Even those fortunate enough to have pension plans recognize that the social contract is fraying and policy makers must act. 

Sheldon Lederman:  I am very lucky to have a pension, and I would like to have every senior in America have that same opportunity.  I think that that is a necessity. 

Janice Winston:  My vision for America at this point, is that we have a retirement system in place that services all the people in this country who are working and deserve to have a comfortable retirement. 

Announcer:  Wake-Up Washington Month is a call to action.  A time for all Americans to tell policy makers that we need a 21st century retirement income system to supplement Social Security; without it American faces a massive retirement crisis. 

Desmond Brown: Wake Up Washington!

Karen O’Quinn:  Wake Up Washington we need you!

Brian Edwards:  Hey Washington, wake up!

David Muse:  Please wake up Washington.  For all our sakes, please! 

Announcer:  Brought to you from Retirement USA.  Working for a universal, secure, and adequate retirement system for all Americans

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