Iris Trout

A survey of 878 US workers age 50+ found retirement plans shifting as rising costs and volatility reshaped expectations for life after full-time work.
In Mid-Q1 2026, 75% said they were delaying retirement, while 91% said inflation or tariffs had affected their plans or outlook.
Top worries centered on healthcare or long-term care at 55%, outliving savings at 49%, stock market instability at 30%, and buying-power erosion at 21%.
Economic strain was already hitting savings: 61% regularly withdrew retirement funds for everyday expenses, 30% dipped in occasionally, and just 8% held off.
Confidence kept weakening. 45% said inflation and tariffs made them rethink their entire plan, 46% made smaller adjustments, and 41% changed investments.
The findings suggested retirement had become an ongoing adjustment for older workers, with financial security increasingly tied to adapting plans instead of following fixed timelines.

Older Workers Rethink Retirement Security

Median household bank balance was $8K, while avg. balances reached ~$62.4K. That wide gap showed savings were heavily concentrated among households with much larger cash reserves.
Emergency cushions looked thin: 55% had 3 mo of savings, and just 44% could cover a $400 surprise bill using checking or savings alone.
Balances varied by age. Median transaction accounts held $5.4K under 35, $7.5K at 35-44, $8.7K at 45-54, $8K at 55-64, $13.4K at 65-74.
Only 34% had a savings account paying at least ~4%. Many said they lacked enough cash for higher yields to matter, but the math suggested otherwise.
At ~4%, $8K earned ~$320 yearly versus ~$32 at the national avg. rate. Higher-yield accounts had eased from peak levels but still paid meaningfully more.