Charlotteans less ready for retirement, survey says

The Charlotte area is falling behind on preparations for retirement, ranking second-to-last among the 30 largest metropolitan areas, according to a new survey from financial planning firm Ameriprise.

The percentage of adults aged 40 to 75 who say they have saved money for retirement has fallen for the past two years, hitting 69 percent this year, the survey showed. People are also less optimistic about retirement. About 57 percent reported feeling positive about their prospects, down from 63 percent last year and 70 percent the year before.

Only Washington D.C. ranked behind Charlotte. Raleigh ranked No. 6, up 13 spots from last year. Hartford-New Haven, Conn., took the top spot.

The survey was conducted online in late June and sampled more than 10,000 people aged 40 to 75.