What the well-off worry about

Besides rising health care costs, L.A.'s affluent are increasingly concerned about whether they'll have enough money to last their lifetimes. A new Merrill Lynch survey finds that the 51-64 age group is especially worried (67 percent of those sampled locally). About a third of that age group expects to retire later than they had expected, and 21 percent are supporting, in some or most ways, both their children and parents. From the survey:

Often referred to as the Sandwich Generation, 37 percent of local respondents in this situation ages 51 - 64 have had to make lifestyle sacrifices to support the needs of their family, 24 percent are now saving less for retirement, 23 percent have invited their adult-age children and/or parents to come and live with them to help cut down on monthly expenses across the family, and 13 percent have significantly cut back on personal luxuries.

Of course, calling this group "affluent" is a bit of a misnomer - the sample covers folks with investable assets in excess of $250,000. In my way of thinking, that's solidly middle class.