Marker, John R.2014-03-142014-03-141995etd-10072005-094820http://hdl.handle.net/10919/45054This study examines the current retirement strategies of agricultural producers, determines farmers’ levels of investment and financial planning knowledge, and makes recommendations for the construction of a computer-based expert system to assist producers in developing retirement plans and strategies. The first two objectives are accomplished through the analysis of 336 self-administered and mailed surveys from producers in Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Virginia, and Washington. The third objective is completed utilizing study results, information provided by individuals knowledgeable m personal finance, and literature dealing with personal financial management. Seventy percent of the survey respondents invest in non-farm assets. Farmers who do not invest off the farm cite a desire to pay down debt, little or no funds available, tax savings, and liquidity as their leading reasons not to invest off the farm, while those who do invest off-farm list tax benefits and diversification as their leading motivators. Respondents began retirement saving early and one-third of them wanted to begin withdrawing from the farming operation by the age of 60. Seventy-eight percent of the respondents with non-farm jobs invest in assets off the farm (p < .05). Producers with the highest levels of formal education are more likely to invest off the farm than the less educated producers (p < .005). Farmers with less formal education tend to delay investing for retirement until later in life (p < .001).x, 116 leavesBTDapplication/pdfenIn CopyrightLD5655.V855 1995.M375Thesishttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-10072005-094820/