Saving more for retirement is set to be one of the top New Year's resolutions for U.S employees this year, a survey by an accountancy firm has predicted.
The finding by Delaware Investments indicates that, while arguments continue to rage in the Britain at the highest levels of government about the best way to fund the retirement of the ageing workforce, American workers, at least, may finally be grasping the bullet.
The only question, of course, is whether, as with any New Year's resolution, they will be a distant memory by February.
The survey of more than more than 9,000 adults found that, for many, their primary financial goal in 2006 is to save for retirement.
The number one resolution was simply to save more money (80 per cent of those polled), followed by paying off credit card debt (56 per cent).
After this came paying off other debts, including mortgages and home equity loans, college loans and car loans (32 per cent).
And of those who said they planned to save more money, nearly half (49 per cent) said they needed to prepare for retirement.
"We were pleased to learn that so many Americans are focusing on critical issues, such as saving for retirement, in their resolutions for 2006," said executive vice president, chief of sales, client services and marketing Kevin J Lucey.
"This shows that Americans are paying attention to the growing worry among experts that individuals are not adequately prepared for the reality of funding their retirements," he added.
