An article in Forbes by AgeLab director Joseph Coughlin talks about one of the ripple effects of the declining U.S. birthrate. Older homeowners may have trouble selling their properties to childless younger buyers who have no need for mutli-bedroom accommodations -- potentially imperilling some Baby Boomers' retirement plans:
The majority of Baby Boomers' wealth is not in the bank, in a pension plan or in an investment portfolio, but in their homes. Despite the popular urban mythology of Boomer life in the big city, more than 70% of Baby Boomers are still living in suburban and rural areas. An increasing number of soon-to-retire and recently retired Boomers are looking to downsize and cash out the decades of equity they have amassed in their homes as a source of income and a chance to live the good life. But how can they cash out without any buyers?