Gen X
Coverage of Gen X in the Nexus archive.
- You need $2 million to retire and ‘almost no one is close,’ BlackRock CEO warns, a problem that Gen X will make ‘harder and nastier’
BlackRock CEO Larry Fink warns that Americans are significantly underprepared for retirement, citing a survey showing most have saved less than 7% of the $2.1 million needed. He highlights challenges like rising life expectancy, the reliance on 401(k)s without clear guidance, and the impending retirement of Gen X, which will exacerbate the crisis.
- Gen X built their whole identity on never needing help. Retirement is the one door they can’t unlock alone
Gen X, born between 1965 and 1980, faces retirement challenges due to reliance on 401(k)s instead of pensions, with only 14% having traditional pensions. Many Gen Xers avoid seeking financial help, complicating their transition to retirement and threatening their self-identity tied to work.
- A quarter of young baby boomers and Gen Xers who’ve been laid off in the last decade are still unemployed—and 11% have taken pay cuts to work
A quarter of U.S. workers aged 50-65 laid off in the past decade remain unemployed, with 11% accepting pay cuts. Gen X workers (45-60) face prolonged job searches and financial strain due to rising costs, caregiving responsibilities, and high debt, despite comprising a third of the workforce.
- How ‘Ozempic face’ is pushing Gen X, already the biggest Botox and filler consumers, to the facelift table a decade early
Gen X, already leading Botox and filler use, is increasingly opting for facelifts a decade earlier due to 'Ozempic face' caused by GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, which accelerate facial aging through volume loss and sagging. Surgeons report a 50% rise in fat-grafting procedures in 2024 linked to this trend, with Gen X patients in their 40s and 50s now seeking surgical treatments typically reserved for older age groups.
- 3 financial rules that have stood the test of time — from the person who wrote the book on them
Beth Kobliner's book on financial literacy remains relevant today, particularly for Gen Z. The book provides timeless financial rules. Its principles have stood the test of time.
- The great wealth lie: Millennials are richer than you or they think
Millennials have seen a 374% surge in wealth from $3.8 trillion in 2019 to $18 trillion by 2025, surpassing Boomers and Gen X in adjusted wealth. Much of their growth stems from housing appreciation and asset investments, though intergenerational wealth transfer remains uncertain as Boomers may spend rather than pass down assets.