47% of Non-Retired Americans Doubt Full Retirement as 64% Focus on Current Finances
Updated
Updated · KPRC Click2Houston · Aug 17
47% of Non-Retired Americans Doubt Full Retirement as 64% Focus on Current Finances
3 articles · Updated · KPRC Click2Houston · Aug 17
Summary
47% of Americans who have not retired say they doubt they will ever fully retire, according to Thrivent’s 2026 survey of more than 2,000 people.
58% still say they expect to retire from their primary career on schedule, but that confidence was unchanged from 2025 as workers weigh rising costs, economic uncertainty and AI-related job risks.
64% of non-retirees said current financial pressures are taking priority over retirement planning, underscoring why long-term saving is slipping behind immediate needs.
Younger workers were especially worried about AI’s effect on jobs, earnings and financial security, while the survey suggested retirement is increasingly shifting from a full stop to some form of continued work.
The findings add to broader signs of retirement strain, following recent reports that many Gen X households lack savings and some expect to retire at 68 or not at all.