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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 11 JA N UA R Y 2 6 , 2 0 2 6 Let us help you write your next chapter. For the life you choose. At Norway Savings Asset Management Group, it's not necessarily the size of your nest egg we care about — it's the story behind it. Your planning decisions are a reflection of your values and your future. They're about the choices you've made to get here, and your vision for what comes next. We take the responsibility of protecting your financial future incredibly seriously. We make sure your story lives on. 207.482.7920 norwaysavings.bank N ot F DIC I n su red • N o B a n k G ua ra ntee • M ay Lose Va lue BEST AND WORST RETIREMENT STATES More and more Americans are delaying retirement or are planning to work into their 70s. The No. 1 reason is fear of running out of money in retirement. The share of older adults in the labor force hit 19.5% in 2024, the highest level reported in the past decade, according to U.S. Census numbers. S O U R C E : U.S. Census, CareScout THE CONTEXT Nearly one-in-five Americans is 65 or older: 18% of the U.S. population, or a record 61.2 million people STATES WITH THE GREATEST SHARE OF PEOPLE 65 AND OLDER W E A LT H M A N A G E M E N T / R E T I R E M E N T F O C U S Maine: 23.5% Vermont: 22.9% West Virginia: 21.9% Florida: 21.8% Delaware: 21.7% Maine ranks No. 18 on CareScouts's list of the "Best and Worst Places to Retire in 2026," down from No. 10 a year earlier. Wyoming is the best state to retire: "Driven by the lack of personal income tax, healthy older adult population, moderate cost of living and decent Social Security income. Tradeoffs include the weather and relative scarcity of doctors," according to the CareScouts report. New Jersey is the worst: "Due to its high cost of living and top personal income tax rate, as well as poor aging health overall. It does, however, have the country's highest average Social Security income ($29,562). This is the second year in a row New Jersey came in last," the report said.

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