Knowledge Snapshot
- 47% of non-retirees doubt they will ever be able to fully retire.
- 58% remain confident they will have enough money to retire from their primary career on schedule.
- 64% are more focused on their current financial situation than long-term retirement planning.
- 63% of Gen Z and 59% of Millennials worry that AI reducing the number of jobs will hurt their retirement.
- 36% expect to keep earning income after retiring from their primary career.
Quick Answer
Retirement confidence does not come from predicting the future perfectly. It comes from building a plan that can absorb job changes, inflation, market volatility, health expenses, and a longer working life.
Start by automating retirement savings, estimating your likely retirement income and expenses, strengthening your career options, and creating more than one possible path to retirement. That might include full retirement, phased retirement, part-time work, consulting, or a later retirement date.
The goal is not to eliminate every risk. It is to make your financial life less dependent on any single paycheck, employer, market outcome, or retirement age.
What the Survey Says About Retirement Anxiety
The Thrivent 2026 Retirement Expectations Survey, conducted by Ipsos in June 2026, provides a revealing picture of how Americans view retirement. Ipsos surveyed 2,032 U.S. adults through its probability-based KnowledgePanel. The nationally representative sample has a margin of sampling error of approximately plus or minus 2.2 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.
The findings were reported by USA Today and documented in Ipsos’ research summary.
At first glance, two findings seem contradictory. A majority of non-retirees, 58%, feel confident they will retire from their primary career on schedule. Yet 47% doubt they will ever fully retire.
These answers are not necessarily inconsistent. Many people believe they can eventually leave their main career while also expecting to work, earn money, or manage a business afterward. In other words, retirement is increasingly viewed as a transition rather than a complete stop.
That distinction matters because your plan should reflect the type of retirement you actually want. If you expect to work part time, that income can improve cash flow. But it should not be treated as guaranteed. Health issues, caregiving, layoffs, or a weak labor market could make paid work difficult later.
Why Current Financial Pressure Crowds Out Retirement Planning
The survey found that 64% of non-retirees are more focused on today’s finances than on retirement. That is understandable. Housing, groceries, insurance, debt payments, childcare, and medical costs compete with a goal that may be decades away.
Still, postponing retirement planning indefinitely creates its own risk. Without a basic target, you cannot tell whether your current savings rate is reasonable or whether a small adjustment could materially improve your options.
The solution is not to ignore today’s needs in favor of an unrealistic savings goal. Instead, divide your financial priorities:
- Cover essential bills and minimum debt payments.
- Capture any available employer retirement match.
- Build an emergency reserve, even if you begin with a modest amount.
- Pay down high-interest debt.
- Increase retirement contributions gradually as income rises or expenses fall.
Five Ways to Build Retirement Confidence
1. Automate a savings rate you can sustain
Automatic contributions turn retirement saving into a recurring cash-flow decision rather than a monthly test of willpower.
If your employer offers a 401(k), contribute at least enough to receive the full match, if possible. Then consider increasing your contribution by one percentage point after a raise, bonus, debt payoff, or other improvement in cash flow.
If you do not have a workplace plan, explore an IRA or another retirement account that fits your circumstances. The IRS retirement plan pages provide current rules and contribution information.
A small, consistent contribution is more useful than an ambitious target you abandon after two months.
2. Estimate your retirement income gap
You do not need one magical savings number. You need a working estimate of the gap between what retirement may cost and what reliable income may provide.
Start with:
- Essential monthly expenses
- Housing and debt costs
- Healthcare and insurance
- Taxes
- Travel, hobbies, and family support
- Social Security and any pension income
- Income from investments or annuities
For a personalized Social Security estimate, use your my Social Security account and review projected benefits at different claiming ages.
Your first estimate will not be perfect. Its purpose is to replace vague fear with a measurable question: “What changes would improve this gap?”
3. Address AI anxiety with career resilience
Younger workers are especially concerned about AI-driven job changes. The Thrivent survey found that 63% of Gen Z non-retirees and 59% of Millennial non-retirees expect AI reducing the number of jobs to negatively affect their retirement.
That concern should lead to preparation, not paralysis.
Consider a career resilience review:
- Which parts of your job are most likely to be automated?
- Which skills remain valuable because they involve judgment, communication, trust, creativity, or relationship management?
- What training would make you more effective using AI tools in your field?
- Which accomplishments can you document for future employers or clients?
- Could you develop a second income stream related to your existing expertise?
You do not need to become a technology specialist. You do need to remain employable, adaptable, and able to explain the value you create.
4. Plan for more than one retirement path
A strong plan includes alternatives. Your options might include:
- Retiring fully at a target age
- Reducing hours gradually
- Moving into consulting or project work
- Changing to a lower-stress role
- Working seasonally
- Relocating to reduce housing costs
- Delaying retirement while increasing savings
The survey found that 36% of non-retirees expect to earn income after retiring from their primary career. That may be a realistic part of your future, but build your core plan so that part-time income is helpful rather than essential.
If you enjoy working, phased retirement can offer purpose and social connection. If you are working because you fear running out of money, the distinction is important. Your financial plan should show how much income you need and how long you may need it.
5. Review the plan regularly
Retirement planning is not a one-time calculation. Revisit it at least annually and after major changes such as:
- A new job or income change
- Marriage, divorce, or a new child
- A home purchase or move
- A major debt payoff
- A health change
- A significant market decline
- A change in your desired retirement age
Track your savings rate, account balances, estimated income, debt, and expected spending. The objective is not to react emotionally to every market movement. It is to make deliberate adjustments when your circumstances change.
For more guidance, review Ask The Money Coach resources on retirement planning, retirement budgeting, and building a diverse retirement portfolio.
Editorial Context: What This Survey Can and Cannot Tell Us
This was a nationally representative probability sample conducted by Ipsos on behalf of Thrivent. That makes it more informative than an informal online poll, but it is still a snapshot of expectations, not a prediction of who will successfully retire.
The survey was also sponsored by a financial services company, which readers should keep in mind when evaluating the broader context. The useful takeaway is not that one company has solved retirement planning. It is that many Americans are experiencing a conflict between long-term confidence and short-term financial stress.
That conflict calls for practical planning. Retirement confidence should be earned through clear numbers, consistent habits, adaptable career decisions, and regular reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it realistic to expect a fully work-free retirement?
It can be, but the answer depends on your savings, spending, health, housing costs, Social Security, pension income, and desired lifestyle. Treat full retirement as one scenario to test rather than an assumption to fear or accept.
How much should I save for retirement?
There is no universal percentage that fits every household. A common starting point is to save consistently, capture the employer match, and increase contributions over time. Your target should reflect your expected spending and other income sources.
What if I started saving late?
Begin with an honest assessment rather than trying to recover immediately through extreme risk. Increase contributions where possible, reduce expensive debt, review your retirement age, and consider phased work or additional income.
Should I pay off debt or save for retirement first?
Usually, maintain at least some retirement saving and capture an available employer match while directing extra money toward high-interest debt. The right balance depends on the interest rate, tax benefits, employer match, and your emergency savings.
Can I rely on working part time in retirement?
Part-time income can strengthen a retirement plan, but it should not be the only support for essential expenses. Employment availability, health, caregiving responsibilities, and your ability to continue working may change.
How can I prepare financially for AI-related job disruption?
Build an emergency reserve, keep your skills current, learn how AI is affecting your field, document measurable accomplishments, and consider a second income stream. Career flexibility can protect retirement savings by reducing the length of an unexpected income interruption.
Should I use a retirement calculator?
Yes, as a starting point. Use more than one reputable tool, enter realistic spending assumptions, and treat the results as estimates. The Social Security Administration’s retirement resources can help with benefit projections.
How often should I update my retirement plan?
Review it at least once a year and whenever your income, household, health, debt, investments, or retirement goals change. A short annual review is better than avoiding the plan because the numbers feel uncomfortable.
Is an emergency fund part of retirement planning?
Yes. An emergency fund helps prevent job loss, medical bills, or major repairs from forcing you to take on high-cost debt or reduce retirement contributions. Keep emergency savings accessible rather than placing it entirely in a retirement account.
When should I work with a financial professional?
Consider professional guidance when you have multiple accounts, a business, a pension, complicated tax issues, substantial debt, or uncertainty about Social Security and investment withdrawals. Ask how the professional is paid and whether they are acting as a fiduciary for the services provided.
Bottom Line
Nearly half of non-retirees doubt they will ever fully retire, even while a majority remain confident they can leave their primary career on schedule. The gap reflects a changing definition of retirement and genuine pressure on household cash flow.
You cannot control inflation, technological change, or future market returns. You can control whether you save automatically, understand your income gap, strengthen your earning power, reduce financial fragility, and maintain more than one path forward.
Confidence is not the belief that everything will go exactly as planned. It is knowing what you will do when the plan needs to change.
