Although a bit confusing when one tries to unravel how the two groups are defined, a new study suggests that mothers and daughters view retirement in very different ways.

Anyone hoping to figure out which category they fit will first have to calculate if they're Generation X (b. 1965-1977), late Baby Boomers (b. 1956-1964), early Baby Boomers (b. 1946-1955), the Silent Generation (b.1933-1945) and the World War II Generation (b. 1926-1932).

I'm looking at four, since my mother is WWII, I'm an early Boomer, my oldest daughter is GenX and my youngest is 2, so not yet thinking about retirement.

Yes, older adoptive moms have even more reason to have something figured out since many of our kids will be heading to college as we head toward 70.

Apparently, 'daughters' have more debt, and like 'mothers' worry about the financial consequences of poor health and rising health care costs. They are also predicting they'll be working longer, 17% saying they'll be 70+ when they retire, if at all.

Since they mention "financial experiences very much tied to the Great Depression and post-Depression living" I'm thinking they're actually talking great-grandmothers, as by the time older moms are as old as I am ... grandmothers with little kids ... we have that 50s feeling that tends less toward security and more toward getting as much out of life as possible. This, of course, isn't nearly as conducive to saving, stashing away for a rainy day or calculating compound interest.

“Daughters, when asked how they would have advised their mothers, say, ‘don’t forget your dreams’ and be ‘willing to spend money if it will make you happy.’ It will be interesting to see if daughters, as they approach traditional retirement age and are faced with the financial realities of a long life, are more open to their mothers' advice.”

But this is where I get confused ... if what they're calling 'mothers' are what in my world constitutes 'great-grandmother' and 'daughters' means me ... a daughter, a mother and a grandmother ... and my daughter ... a daughter and a mother ... what exactly is the point?

We're all supposed to plan for the future? Is that it?