By the numbers
Retirement by the numbers: what 2026 surveys found
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In 2026, 80 percent of Americans said the nation faces a retirement crisis, according to the National Institute on Retirement Security, up from 67 percent in 2020.
The figures below come from two published 2026 reports and are quoted as their authors stated them. They are not Rarified Life's own research. Most focus on money, which is exactly why they matter here: financial worry is widespread, and it often crowds out the equally important question of how to live once work ends.
Part of the guide to Rarified Life's life after retirement course and retirement coaching.
How worried are Americans about retirement in 2026?
Very. The National Institute on Retirement Security found that more than six in ten Americans (61 percent) are concerned they will not achieve financial security in retirement, and 85 percent want policymakers to make retirement security a higher national priority.
Retirement Insecurity 2026 (NIRS)
- 80%of Americans say the nation faces a retirement crisis, up from 67 percent in 2020.Source: Retirement Insecurity 2026: Americans' Views of Retirement
- 61%of Americans are concerned they will not achieve financial security in retirement.Source: Retirement Insecurity 2026: Americans' Views of Retirement
- 84%say leaders in Washington do not understand the retirement savings challenges facing Americans.Source: Retirement Insecurity 2026: Americans' Views of Retirement
- 85%say policymakers should make retirement security a higher national priority, up from 76 percent in 2020.Source: Retirement Insecurity 2026: Americans' Views of Retirement
Caregivers and the 2026 Retirement Confidence Survey (EBRI)
In this survey, caregivers are defined as those who provided unpaid care for an adult and/or child within the last 12 months in a noninstitutional setting and helped their care recipient with at least one activity of daily living or instrumental activity of daily living. EBRI found caregivers were more likely to have lower levels of financial assets and more likely to have a problem with debt than non-caregivers.
- 34% vs 25%Thirty-four percent of caregivers had less than $10,000 in savings and investments compared with 25 percent of non-caregivers.Source: Findings From the 2026 Retirement Confidence Survey
- 53% vs 62%Fifty-three percent of caregivers had household incomes of $75,000 or more, compared with 62 percent of non-caregivers.Source: Findings From the 2026 Retirement Confidence Survey
- 61% vs 47%61 percent of caregivers were female compared with 47 percent of non-caregivers.Source: Findings From the 2026 Retirement Confidence Survey
What these numbers mean for life after retirement
These surveys measure financial confidence, not how people feel about their days once work ends. Rarified Life's view is that both questions need answers. Its presentation calls meeting with a financial planner "the worst way to prepare for the rest of your life" when it is used as the only preparation. See how the two compare on the retirement coaching vs other options page.
Keep reading
- Retirement coaching vs other ways to prepareA ranked comparison of four ways to prepare for life after retirement.
- How long does it take to adjust to retirement?Adjustment timelines, the five emotional stages of retirement, and retirement transition coaching.
- How this course hub is writtenSources, comparison criteria, and editorial rules for this site.
Questions behind the numbers
More answers on the retirement coaching and course FAQ.
- Retirement coach or financial planner: which do I need?
- They answer different questions. A financial planner works on whether your money will last; a retirement coach works on how you will live and who you will be. Money worries are widespread: NIRS reports 61 percent of Americans are concerned they will not achieve financial security in retirement. Many people use both.See this answer in the full FAQ
- How long does it take to adjust to retirement?
- There is no single timeline; it depends on how sudden the change was, your health, finances, relationships, and how tied your identity was to work. Rarified Life's presentation describes capable women who "get 8 months into retirement and stop answering the phone." Structured work, like an 8-week course, gives the adjustment a shape.See this answer in the full FAQ
- Is it normal to feel lost after retiring?
- Yes, it is common, especially if your job was a large part of who you were. One Preferment participant quoted on rarifiedlife.com described spending "a few years wandering around like a goldfish in a bowl." If low mood persists or worsens, talk with a doctor or licensed counselor.See this answer in the full FAQ
- How can I enjoy life after retirement?
- Build your days on things that matter to you rather than errands and appointments. Rarified Life's Preferment approach rests on four pillars: personal values, meaningful pursuits, learning, and physical activity. Pick one small action in each, schedule it, and tell someone who will ask how it went.See this answer in the full FAQ
- Is this website independent of Rarified Life?
- No. The Preferment Course Hub is published by Rarified Life, the business that runs the course. It exists to explain the coaching and course clearly, using facts Rarified Life supplied and published survey data with named sources.See this answer in the full FAQ