Midlife is a time of change and challenge for Americans today, and for many it is not what they expected. This work explores the impact on midlife of changing trends in the larger society, including: longer life expectancy, an aging population, changes in marital status and family composition, the economic necessity of women in the labor force, and the subsequent increase in two-income families.

Included are the latest demographic data, some how-to advice on planning for retirement, as well as suggestions for coping with the not-so-empty nest and aging parents. It concludes with a discussion of policy issues that may affect the burgeoning midlife generation in the future.