Industry News

On August 26, 2026, the National Institute on Retirement Security (NIRS) released its report, Retirement Insecurity 2026: Americans’ Views of Retirement. According to the report, about 80% of Americans expressed concern that the nation is facing a retirement crisis, up significantly from 67% in 2020. In addition, over 60% are concerned that they will not achieve financial security in retirement. Some factors contributing to respondents’ concerns include inflation (73%), market volatility (62%) and possible Social Security benefit reductions if Congress fails to take action (76%).

Other key findings include:  

• About 76% of survey respondents expressed strong support for pensions to provide financial security in retirement while 84% of workers and retirees who have participated in a pension are confident those benefits will help them achieve a secure retirement;
• About 79% of Americans feel the average worker cannot save enough on their own for retirement security;
• Affordability issues are making it more difficult for workers to save for retirement with 41% of respondents being concerned about paying down debt, 39% are worried about high housing costs, 30% are concerned about emergency expenses, 25% are worried about health care and medical expenses, 13% concerned about lack of access to workplace retirement plans, and 12% worried about childcare costs;
• Among current workers, 75% indicated that retirement benefits are a very or extremely important factor when evaluating job opportunities;
• Almost 50% of the respondents reported having less than $100,000 saved for retirement and 18% reported having no retirement savings;
• Over 60% of Americans have used an Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool, but the majority are not comfortable with it delivering financial advice although there may be potential uses for AI as a financial resource (i.e., budgeting, investing and tax planning); and
• Over 50% of the respondents oppose employers offering cryptocurrency as a workplace retirement savings investment option due to potential risks.

The report concludes, “strengthening retirement security will require a comprehensive approach – one that expands access to retirement plans, encourages lifetime saving, improves financial literacy, and supports workers as they navigate an increasingly complex retirement landscape.”

The report findings are based on a nationwide survey conducted by Greenwald Research with online interviews between October 24, 2025 and November 14, 2025 with a total of over 1,200 individuals aged 25 and older.  The final data were weighted by age, gender and income to represent the demographics of Americans aged 25 and over.

The report is available here.