Determining Your Retirement Goal: is Your Savings Enough?

WHO:

USA Today - Schroders, a global asset management company, conducted the survey.

USA Today - Deb Boyden is the head of U.S. defined contribution at Schroders.

The New York Times - The Social Security Administration provided statistics on life expectancy.

WHAT:

USA Today - American workers believe they will need more than $1 million in savings to retire comfortably.

USA Today - The latest survey indicates that retirement savers think they will need $1.2 million to retire in comfort.

USA Today - Half of those surveyed expect to retire with less than $500,000 saved.

USA Today - One quarter of respondents expect to save less than $250,000.

USA Today - Only 30% of respondents expect to reach the $1 million milestone.

USA Today - More than two-thirds of retirement savers believe rising costs have made retirement out of reach for their generation.

USA Today - More than half of savers cannot set aside 10% of their salary for retirement.

USA Today - One-third of savers report that their credit card debt exceeds their retirement savings.

USA Today - More than one-quarter of savers have borrowed from their retirement plans for various financial needs.

USA Today - The investment allocation among surveyed savers is: 27% in stocks, 26% in cash, 17% in bonds, 12% in target-date funds, 12% in private equity or credit, and 6% in other assets.

The New York Times - Average life expectancy for 65-year-old men is estimated at 18.5 years, and for women, it is 21 years.

WHERE:

USA Today - The survey reached 1,500 investors, including 615 workplace retirement savers in the United States.

WHEN:

USA Today - The survey was conducted in the spring and released on July 15, 2026.

The New York Times - The life expectancy statistics reflect changes since 1970.

WHY:

USA Today - Many savers cite competing financial priorities as a reason for not saving adequately for retirement.

USA Today - The fear of losing money in the stock market is a primary reason for keeping a significant portion of savings in cash.

HOW:

USA Today - The survey by Schroders involved polling retirement savers about their savings goals and financial behaviors.

(UPDATED July 19, 2026 01:22 UTC)

A recent survey by Schroders reveals that American workers believe they will need at least $1.2 million to retire comfortably, yet half of those surveyed expect to have less than $500,000 saved. The survey, which included 1,500 investors, highlights that more than two-thirds of retirement savers feel rising costs have made retirement unattainable for their generation, with many citing competing financial priorities and fears about the stock market as barriers to saving. Interestingly, the investment allocation among savers shows a preference for cash and stocks, with only 30% expecting to reach the $1 million milestone needed for a secure retirement.