By the numbers
Retirement in 2026, by the numbers
Last updated: November 2026
Published 2026 surveys show Americans growing less confident about retirement: EBRI found workers' confidence fell to 61%, and NIRS found 80% say the nation faces a retirement crisis.
These figures come from three published 2026 reports, collected here by Rarified Life. They are about money, and they are not Rarified Life's own research. They matter for a retirement life course because they show how much of retirement planning focuses on finances, and how little attention the rest of life tends to get.
How confident are Americans about retirement in 2026?
- 61%
Workers’ confidence in having enough money to live comfortably in retirement fell 6 percentage points from 2025 to 61%, while retirees’ confidence fell 5 percentage points to 73%.
- 80%
Eighty percent of Americans say the nation faces a retirement crisis, up from 67 percent in 2020.
Source: NIRS, Retirement Insecurity 2026
- 61%
More than six in ten Americans (61 percent) are concerned they will not achieve financial security in retirement.
Source: NIRS, Retirement Insecurity 2026
- Under 3 in 5
Fewer than 3 in 5 workers said they have enough savings to handle an emergency expense, down from 64% in 2025. Among retirees, fewer than 7 in 10 said the same, down from 74%.
- Nearly 70%
Nearly 70% of survey respondents have delayed a major financial goal.
Source: Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Retirement Survey and Insights Report 2026
- 60%+
More than 60% of survey respondents have taken on work outside their primary job, most out of necessity rather than the desire to increase disposable income.
Source: Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Retirement Survey and Insights Report 2026
What do these numbers mean for planning the rest of retirement?
They suggest that worry about money is common, which is a good reason to plan both your finances and how you will spend your time.
None of these surveys measure purpose, identity, or how people feel about their days after work, and this site does not claim they do. What they do show is that retirement is a source of real uncertainty for many people. Preferment, the 8-week course from Rarified Life, addresses the non-financial part of that uncertainty: who you are without your job, and what your time is for. For financial questions, a licensed financial professional is the right resource. See how a retirement life course compares with a planning course.
Common questions
- Is Preferment about money or financial planning?
- No. Preferment focuses on identity, motivation, values, routine, and purpose after a career, not on investments or retirement income. For financial questions, a licensed financial professional is the right resource. Many people use both: a financial plan for their money, and a course like Preferment for deciding how to spend their time.
- How is it different from a retirement planning training course?
- Retirement planning training courses typically focus on finances, benefits, and the logistics of leaving work. Preferment focuses on purpose, identity, and daily life after a career. They answer different questions, so they can complement each other rather than compete: one covers what you can afford, the other what you want your days to hold.
- What is a life course perspective on retirement?
- A life course perspective on retirement treats retirement as one stage in a whole life rather than a finish line. Preferment takes that view. Its book notes that the United States adopted the Social Security Act in 1935, setting 65 as the standard retirement age, and that people can now stay active and healthy for longer.
- What is a retirement coach?
- A retirement coach helps people plan the non-financial side of retirement: identity, purpose, routine, relationships, and how to spend their time. Formats range from one-on-one sessions to group courses. Preferment is a structured live course led by Anne van Leynseele rather than individual coaching, with a book and set modules.
- Is the Preferment framework research-informed?
- Rarified Life describes Preferment as a research-informed framework. The back cover of the book describes it as stories, research, and practical lessons defining a modern post-career life platform. The specific studies behind it are not listed on the course listing, so review the book itself if you want to see its sources.