Accounting Class, pick topic below Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Accounting Class, pick topic below - Essay Example While some individuals intend to work for as long as they can, particularly because idleness and loss of accustomed status can bring depression, illness, and even early death, it is always pleasant to contemplate that one has a nest egg to fall back on when a contingency or extreme need for money arises. "Whatever your situation - even if you want to continue working - youll need to do some planning for the future." (Shwab-Pomerantz & Schwab, 2002). Thus everyone should begin to plan for retirement even during the first few years of employment or starting a business. Retirement planning, according to the Small Business Encyclopedia, describes the financial strategies individuals employ during their working years to ensure that they will meet their goals for financial security upon retirement. This applies to self-employed persons, small business owners, and employees of companies large and small (Retirement planning, SBE) Retirement planning was unknown prior to the twentieth century because the US national economy and presumably the economies in other parts of the world were still predominantly agrarian. Farmers toiling in the fields continued to work until they could no longer do physical labor, and transferred ownership and management of their properties to their eldest children in return for services to them during their old age (US History Encyclopedia). Even with the onset of industrialization, there were still a limited number of employees, and farming continued to dominate as a means of livelihood. As workers aged, they continued to work using their skills and wisdom in lieu of strength and stamina to remain employed in their later years. (Retirement planning, US) Later, because of concerns about productivity and efficiency in the workplace, it was deemed necessary to replace aging workers with young and strong ones. There was concern and apprehension about these