National representatives of AARP stopped in Lawrence this week to tout the benefits of financial planning.

“It’s extremely important for people of all ages to make sure they have adequate funds for retirement so they can continue to live their best lives,” said Joan Ruff, of Mission Woods, a national board member for AARP.

That doesn’t always happen, she acknowledged, as three in 10 Kansans 65 and older rely on Social Security as their sole source of income. The average monthly Social Security benefit is $1,281. She added that the average working-age American household has retirement assets of just $3,000, while those nearing retirement have each saved only $12,000.

Still, Social Security provides an important economic boost, said Cristina Martin Firvida, director of financial security and consumer affairs for AARP, as it directly brings more than $7 billion into Kansas every year. She added that, according to a recent AARP report, every $1 in Social Security payments equals $1.82 in economic activity, as retirees often spend the entirety of their benefits, meaning that Social Security boosts Kansas’ economy by $12 billion annually. “It’s not just the retired or survivors or disabled who benefit,” she said. “It’s all the rest of us because we all need a healthy, vibrant economy, and $12 billion is an important part of that puzzle.”

But what can people do to save more?

“We know that individuals who have a 401(k) or retirement plan at work are more likely to save. The defined benefit pension plan is basically a thing of the past,” Ruff said. “We need to have discussions and states need to get involved in making saving plans available to people who do not have any way to save at work.”

In Kansas, she said, 43 percent of employees don’t have the opportunity to enroll in a retirement savings plan.

Martin Firvida also noted that AARP members often complain about the prevalence of age discrimination in our society. “It’s preventing them from staying on the job or from doing the best job they know they can do,” she said. One solution her office has been working on is to pass legislation that would put age discrimination on par legally with discrimination based on race, gender and religion.

Ruff added that Lawrence could meet its goal of attracting retirees by making sure the community is “livable” for people of all ages. That means sidewalks in every neighborhood, accessible transportation and intergenerational activities and communities. “Those kinds of things … say to senior citizens you’re welcome here, we want you,” she said.