A study was done of the savings patterns and financial resources of households receiving teacher's retirement insurance benefits. For the survey a mail questionnaire was sent in fall 1988 to a statistically drawn sample of Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association-College Retirement Equities Fund annuitants. Over 900 questionnaires were completed and returned (65 percent response rate). Among the findings were: (1) over one third of respondents reported a net worth of $300,000 or more and about one third $100,000 to 299,999; (2) 31 percent of women reported net worth under $100,000, versus 18 percent of men; (3) liquid assets were the most frequently owned asset type followed by home ownership; (4) over 90 percent of homes were mortgage free; (5) 27 percent had received"substantial" wealth transfers through inheritance; (6) 10 percent reported receiving substantial gifts from relatives averaging $51,000 and 30 percent reported providing substantial gifts to children, partners, or other relatives on average of $37,000; (7) 63 percent of respondents had saved money in the past 5 years; (8) key motivation for saving was concern for nursing home and health related costs; (9) 39 percent followed a "life-cycle" savings approach by saving before retirement and using up savings during retirement but 45 percent more closely fit the intergenerational transfer pattern and continued to save as much in retirement as before. (JB)