The 2013 Merrill Lynch Retirement Study, conducted in partnership with Age Wave surveyed 6300 Americans over 45.

The findings from the study revealed new insights into people’s approaches to and thoughts about retirement, such as:

Finances: When it comes to financial goals, achieving peace of mind is seven times more important to Boomers than accumulating wealth.

Reinvention: Today’s retirees are largely not retiring — they view the “longevity bonus” as a chance to explore new options, pursue old dreams and live life to the fullest.

Family Interdependencies: With today’s economic uncertainty, and with many family members struggling financially, balancing an individual’s or couple’s retirement needs with the needs of parents, siblings, children and grandchildren is a growing and complicated challenge.

Connections: Today’s retirees are finding comfort, meaning and safety in connections with family, friends, communities and trusted guides.

Traditional Values: Retirees today define happiness not in terms of dollars but in terms of new experiences, peace of mind, helping family and making a difference.

The study also offers new insights about sources of concern and the need for guidance, including:

Health Disruptions: Health problems and the cost of healthcare now top the list of retirement worries — even more so among the affluent.

Falling Short: People don’t know exactly how long they will live and feel insecure about their ability to support a very long life.

Home and Community: People are concerned about where they should live in retirement, as well as the need to support adult children and parents’ housing and eldercare needs.

The study revealed a strong desire among those approaching and in retirement to know more about the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, to gain greater clarity about what they hope to achieve, and to understand what is possible.

The full report can be downloaded here