Is Gen Y worse off than Gen X?

Send this email to a friend Many younger investors are embracing "socially responsible investing," or SRI, which steers money to businesses and organizations that pledge to have a positive effect on society and the planet rather than just turning a profit. That point was hammered home to me when my 21-year-old daughter, Kaitlyn, asked me to sit down with her to review the investments in her Roth IRA. She wanted to make sure she was investing in companies that support social causes or are socially responsible in some way. A recent study from Spectrem Group found that one in four investors under the age of 45 have at least 25 percent of their investable assets in socially responsible companies. These investors are drivers of a rapid rise in total SRI assets. According to a report from the Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment, the amount of money invested in the sector has soared from $2.2 trillion a decade ago to $6.6 trillion today. The question is: Will Americans continue to invest more in companies that support social causes or are socially responsible in some way? . Jim Pavia Senior Editor at Large @jimpavia For more, check out CNBC's Financial Advisor Hub Is Gen Y worse off than Gen X? Earnings data show millennials are making a little more on average than Gen Xers did in the 1990s but student debt and underemployment are hitting them harder. Read More YOUR MONEYDon't 'set and forget' 529 plans Many parents pay little mind to the 529 savings plans they've set up but financial planners advise keeping an eye on such investments as kids near college age. Read More YOUR RETIREMENTWant to work past 65? Hmm ... Most older workers say they want to work past age 65 but only 4 percent of employers currently have a formal strategy for recruiting them. Read More PERSONAL FINANCEIs going solar a bright idea? CNBC Senior Personal Finance correspondent Sharon Epperson discusses whether installing solar panels on your home will result in savings ... or get you burned. Watch Video Sharon Epperson @sharon_epperson YOUR HEALTHUnpaid caregiving soars Family caregivers are taking on ever more complicated medical tasks when assisting relatives, providing $470 billion in unpaid care each year. Read More STRAIGHT TALK Are alpha and beta Greek to you? Financial advisor Mark Cortazzo explains "alpha" and "beta," risk ratio terms that investors use to calculate, compare and predict returns. Watch Video THE REFORMED BROKERThe cost of free "I'm all for efficiency and the trend toward lower investment costs. ... But at what point do lower short-run costs create larger long-run costs?" Read More Josh Brown @ReformedBroker RELATED NEWS Avoiding the tax traps of restricted stock units Donations are gifts that keep giving ... for donors It's time to democratize banking: PayPal CEO The 7 cheapest stocks in the market right now Feedback We value your input—use our simple form to let us know what you think. Click here for Real-Time data and top stories on your desktop or mobile device. Send this email to a friend