STUDY SAYS AMERICANS' WEALTH ISN'T RETIRING ALONG WITH THEM.(BUSINESS)

Byline: JOHN D. MCCLAIN Associated Press

WASHINGTON A new study illustrates wide disparities in wealth distribution and suggests that many Americans will not be able to retain their standard of living in retirement.

Economist James P. Smith of the Rand research organization said the biggest surprise in his study is ``how little the average household has accumulated.'' Many Americans, he added, ``simply have engaged in very little savings.''

The top 5 percent of white American households with at least one spouse over 70 have wealth totaling $655,000, Smith found, while the bottom 10 percent of such white households have just $765 in assets. …