#generation-x

#generation-x

Possibly advisors don't prioritize Gen Xers because they carry more credit card debt than any other generation. Or maybe it's because they are struggling to raise their children and put them through college while simultaneously taking care of aging parents. Younger Gen Xers are in mid-career, still paying off their student loans. As they age, many will have adult children returning to the nest.

They were the first generation of Americans to grow up with ultra-processed foods all around them - products typically loaded with extra fat, salt, sugar and flavorings. They were children and young adults at a time when such products, designed to maximize their appeal, proliferated. Now, a study shows, 21% of women and 10% of men in Generation X and the tail end of the Baby Boom generation, now in their 50s and early 60s, meet criteria for addiction to these ultra-processed foods.

Generation X prides itself on never being surprised, which has generally served us well. Keeping our expectations low and our cynicism-level high has allowed Gen X to remain agile throughout numerous economic and political upheavals. But what if the attitudes that protect us from life's difficulties are also holding us back from our goals? Specifically, many in Gen X may find that the cynicism we have proudly used as armor throughout our lives may be getting in the way of retirement.

As I approach my 50th birthday, I reflect on the joys and simplicity of my youth compared to the overwhelming changes in the world today.