Demographics suggest extreme wealth concentration, rolling retirement crises. A recently published research report on Latin America's wealth and retirement markets shows sharp divides in terms of consumer wealth and charts ongoing -- and sometimes divergent -- wealth trends in major emerging markets like Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela and Columbia.

In Emerging Opportunities in the Latin American Markets Tiburon Strategic Advisors analyzes wealth trends in Central and South America including economic underpinnings, investment products and services, and market-by-market opportunities for advisory firms.

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In the U.S., households with over $5 million in investable assets control 19% of the assets, whereas those with under $100,000 control around 6%. In Latin America, though, those with more than $5 million control 24% of all investable assets, while households with less than $100,000 control a mere 1%, according to the new Tiburon study.

For example, Emerging Opportunities predicts that Brazil, like the U.S. faces a retirement-income crisis. The dilemma's more acute in Brazil, however: though life expectancy there is roughly in line with U.S. levels, Americans earn more than four times more than Brazilians do.

On the other hand, with only 5% of its population over the age of 65, Mexico's retirement crisis is expected to peak many years after those in the U.S. and Brazil.

In Argentina the poorest 40% of the people earn less than 15% of the country's yearly income; the highest-earning 10% rake in 42% of all income.

Tiburon, Calif.-based Tiburon reports that Venezuela, Columbia, Guatemala, Peru and Bolivia have similarly stratified populations, with Bolivia being the most extreme case.

Follow this link to find out more about Emerging Opportunities. -FWR

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