Retirement Savings Statistics 2026: Accounts, Pensions, and Preparedness
Source-linked 2026 retirement savings statistics on accounts, pensions, age, income, assets, and the preparedness gap.
Retirement saving in the United States is widespread, but preparedness is not. In the Federal Reserve’s 2025 SHED survey, 67% of all adults reported a tax-preferred retirement account, a pension, or both, yet only 35% of non-retirees said their saving was on track. The central finding is a gap between ownership and confidence, with income creating a much wider divide than a national average suggests.
What the headline numbers measure
The Federal Reserve’s Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking, or SHED, surveyed nearly 13,000 U.S. adults in October 2025. It is a household survey, not an administrative count of account balances, pension liabilities, or contributions. Respondents reported whether they held certain assets and how they viewed their retirement progress.
A tax-preferred retirement account can include workplace or individual arrangements that receive favorable tax treatment. A defined-benefit pension is different: it generally promises a retirement benefit based on a formula rather than showing the saver a personal investment balance.
Among all adults, 61% had a tax-preferred retirement account, while 29% had a defined-benefit pension. Together, 67% had an account, a pension, or both. These categories overlap, so the account and pension figures should not be added together.
The survey also found that 85% of adults had at least one listed retirement or other asset. That broader measure includes housing, savings, investments outside retirement accounts, life insurance, business ownership, and real estate. Ownership therefore reaches beyond retirement accounts alone.
Retirement accounts and pensions across age groups
Age is strongly associated with reported ownership, but the pattern does not show what happens to one individual over time. The figures compare different age groups at one point in the survey.
| Age group | Tax-preferred account | Defined-benefit pension | Either account or pension |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18–24 | 28% | 5% | 29% |
| 25–54 | 63% | 20% | 66% |
| 55–64 | 73% | 39% | 79% |
| 65+ | 62% | 52% | 78% |
The youngest adults reported the least ownership across all three measures. Ownership rose through the 55–64 group. Among adults aged 65 and older, account ownership was slightly lower than among the previous age group, while pension ownership was higher.
That combination may reflect different employment histories, retirement timing, rollovers, withdrawals, or survivor benefits. It should be read as a cross-sectional age pattern, not as evidence that account holders typically lose accounts when they age.
Other assets add context
Retirement preparedness is not captured by retirement accounts alone. Other assets can provide housing security, liquidity, investment exposure, or additional income, although the survey does not say how much each asset is worth.
| Other asset | 18–24 | 25–54 | 55–64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 19% | 57% | 82% | 84% |
| Savings or CD | 45% | 52% | 67% | 76% |
| Stocks, bonds, ETFs, or funds outside retirement | 18% | 33% | 45% | 48% |
| Cash-value life insurance | 7% | 22% | 30% | 33% |
| Business or real estate | 2% | 9% | 18% | 16% |
Homes and savings or certificates of deposit were especially common among older adults. That does not make them interchangeable with retirement accounts. A home may provide shelter or potential equity but may not generate spendable income without a sale, loan, or other decision. Savings may be liquid, but the survey does not show whether the balance is sufficient for retirement.
Income separates preparedness
Income produces a much sharper divide than the all-adult ownership figures suggest. The following results cover non-retirees, so they should not be compared directly with the all-adult age table without noting the different population.
| Family income among non-retirees | Account | Pension | Retirement saving on track |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $25k | 15% | 3% | 7% |
| $25k–$49,999 | 38% | 9% | 16% |
| $50k–$99,999 | 65% | 21% | 29% |
| $100k+ | 89% | 33% | 59% |
Among non-retirees aged 18–29, 38% had an account, 8% had a pension, and 22% thought their saving was on track. Those figures combine age and retirement status, making them a narrower group than the all-adult age comparison.
Preparedness is weaker than ownership
Only 35% of non-retirees said their retirement saving was on track. That result was unchanged from 2024 and below 40% in 2021.
This does not mean that 35% of all adults lack retirement preparation, nor does it support subtracting 35% from 67%. The ownership figure covers all adults, while the preparedness figure covers non-retirees and measures confidence rather than asset ownership.
The income gaps make the contrast clearer. PlainReads calculates the following differences and ratios from the Federal Reserve’s listed income-group results. A point gap is the top-group percentage minus the bottom-group percentage; a ratio divides the top-group percentage by the bottom-group percentage.
| Comparison | Measure | Point gap | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highest versus lowest income group | Account ownership | +74 points — PlainReads calculation | 5.93× — PlainReads calculation |
| Highest versus lowest income group | Pension ownership | +30 points — PlainReads calculation | 11× — PlainReads calculation |
| Highest versus lowest income group | Saving on track | +52 points — PlainReads calculation | 8.43× — PlainReads calculation |
| 18–24 to 55–64 age shift | Account ownership | +45 points — PlainReads calculation | 2.61× — PlainReads calculation |
| 18–24 to 55–64 age shift | Pension ownership | +34 points — PlainReads calculation | 7.8× — PlainReads calculation |
| 18–24 to 55–64 age shift | Either account or pension | +50 points — PlainReads calculation | 2.72× — PlainReads calculation |
The age calculations describe differences between groups, not individual progress. The income calculations show association, not causation: higher income may make saving easier, but this survey alone cannot prove that income caused every difference.
For practical next steps, readers can explore The Compounding Flywheel, the Rule of 72, and sinking funds.
Methodology and limitations
The SHED results are survey responses collected from U.S. adults in October 2025. The sample included nearly 13,000 people, while subgroup results describe narrower populations such as non-retirees, income groups, or age groups.
Denominators matter. “All adults” is not the same population as “non-retirees.” Account ownership is not the same measure as believing saving is on track. An account can be small, inactive, newly opened, or paired with substantial debt. Conversely, someone without a listed account may have housing wealth, a pension, or another source of retirement support.
Seasonality also matters. October is one observation point rather than a year-round average. Employment, household expenses, market values, contribution decisions, and retirement plans can change during the year. The survey therefore describes reported conditions at the time of fielding.
The figures should be treated as the published release snapshot. If the Federal Reserve later revises a table, changes a definition, or improves documentation, comparisons should use the revised denominator and release context rather than assuming every difference represents an economic change.
Finally, these statistics show relationships, not causes. Higher reported income and age are associated with greater ownership or confidence in several comparisons, but the survey does not establish that age itself caused the pattern. Employment access, benefits, wealth, household structure, education, health, and market conditions may also matter.
Sources
- Federal Reserve, Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025: Savings and Investments
- Federal Reserve, Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking overview and methodology
Frequently asked questions
What counts as a tax-preferred retirement account?
It is a retirement account that receives favorable tax treatment under its governing rules. The SHED account measure is separate from its defined-benefit pension measure.
Does having an account mean someone is prepared for retirement?
No. Ownership shows access or participation, not whether the balance, contributions, income, or expected expenses are adequate. The survey’s preparedness question measures whether non-retirees believe their saving is on track.
Why does account ownership dip among older adults?
The survey shows a cross-sectional decline from 73% among ages 55–64 to 62% among adults aged 65 and older, alongside higher pension ownership. This does not prove that individuals lose accounts as they age.
Is income the only factor that matters?
No. Income is the clearest divider in these reported comparisons, but access to workplace benefits, accumulated wealth, housing, employment history, household needs, and health can also shape retirement preparation.