Nearly half of American households have no retirement savings (2024)

FAQs

Nearly half of American households have no retirement savings? ›

According to the Survey of Consumer Finances, in 2022 almost half of American household retirement savings accounts were empty. The accounts included individual retirement accounts; Keogh accounts; certain employer-sponsored accounts, such as 401(k), 403(b), thrift savings accounts; and pensions.

Do You? 20% of adults ages 50+ have no retirement savings, 61% worry they won't have enough at retirement, as per new AARP survey. Plus six tips to start saving now.

Ghilarducci, author of “Work, Retire, Repeat: The Uncertainty of Retirement in the New Economy,” blames the retirement savings crisis on the switch to 401(k)s. These “do-it-yourself pensions” have marooned a growing number of low- and middle-income Americans, forcing them to work long into their 70s, she said.

Because many Americans don't have the opportunity to save for retirement. The vast majority of retirement savings come through a plan provided by an employer—typically a 401(k)—but an estimated 56 million private sector workers don't have a plan at work.

59% of Americans are uncomfortable with their level of emergency savings, as of May 2024 polling, including 32% who are very uncomfortable and 27% who are somewhat uncomfortable. But many have no savings at all. 27% of U.S. adults have no emergency savings, as of May 2024 polling — the highest percentage since 2020.

As families continue working to make ends meet, a report from USA Facts reflects that almost half of American households have no retirement savings. According to the Survey of Consumer Finances, in 2022 almost half of American household retirement savings accounts were empty.

Individuals who have not saved for retirement and who still own homes can turn to their homes as a source of income. For some, this could mean renting a portion of their space as a separate apartment. Another option is to take a reverse mortgage on a home, although doing so can be costly and complicated.

If you retire with no money, you'll have to consider ways to create income to pay your living expenses. That might include applying for Social Security retirement benefits, getting a reverse mortgage if you own a home, or starting a side hustle or part-time job to generate a steady paycheck.

The study found that 57% of participants regretted not saving more, 40% regretted not buying Long Term Care (LTC) insurance, 23% regretted that they did not delay claiming social security benefits, 33% regretted not having purchased lifetime income payments, 10% expressed regret for having to depend financially on ...

What percentage of Americans live paycheck to paycheck? ›

Recent MarketWatch Guides survey results indicate that 66.2% of Americans feel like they're living paycheck to paycheck. Respondents struggling to make ends meet span demographics, including genders, generations and incomes.

An Axios/Ipsos poll found that 1 in 5 Americans don't think they'll ever retire — and a whopping 70% of that cohort say it's because they simply can't (or won't be able to) afford it.

According to a study by Scottish Widows, 38% of people are not on track for the most basic retirement lifestyle, which is defined by the Pension and Lifetime Savings Association as having enough money to cover basic needs with some left over for fun.

Ninety-three percent of millionaires said they got their wealth because they worked hard, not because they had big salaries. Only 31% averaged $100,000 a year over the course of their career, and one-third never made six figures in any single working year of their career.

Key Takeaways. The 50-30-20 budget rule states that you should spend up to 50% of your after-tax income on needs and obligations that you must have or must do. The remaining half should dedicate 20% to savings, leaving 30% to be spent on things you want but don't necessarily need.

It may sound like an intimidating term, but it really isn't once you know what it means. Here's a little secret: compound interest is a millionaire's best friend. It's really free money.

About 50% of women ages 55 to 66 have no personal retirement savings, compared to 47% of men (Figure 1).

In September 2022, 55% of American workers said they felt behind and 35% felt “significantly behind.” Around one-quarter of workers haven't made retirement contributions in at least a year. 22% of American workers said they weren't making retirement contributions in 2023 or 2022.

As of June, there were roughly 497,000 so-called retirement-created millionaires in the U.S., according to the wealth management firm, which analyzed balances across 26,000 of its customers' accounts. Nearly 399,000 Americans also have a least $1 million in an individual retirement account.

How much does the average American have in savings? Excluding retirement assets, the average American has $65,100 in savings, according to Northwestern Mutual's 2023 Planning & Progress Study.