47% of U.S. Workers Doubt Full Retirement as Inflation and AI Fears Mount

1 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Aug 15

47% of working Americans say they may never fully retire, according to Thrivent’s 2026 Retirement Expectations Survey of more than 2,000 adults conducted in June.
58% think they will have enough money to retire on schedule, while 36% expect to keep earning income in retirement, reflecting a shift toward viewing retirement as a transition rather than an endpoint.
More than half of workers said inflation, Social Security shortfalls, Middle East conflict and AI’s economic threat could hurt their retirement, and half said thinking about retirement makes them anxious.
Only 23% put the savings needed for a comfortable retirement below $1 million, even though federal data shows only about half of Americans have retirement accounts at all.
The survey adds to evidence of a widening retirement divide, with experts noting Americans now shoulder more of their own saving through 401(k)s and IRAs.