WASHINGTON—A new AARP survey finds that 20% of adults ages 50+ have no retirement savings, and more than half (61%) are worried they will not have enough money to support them in retirement. The findings also reveal a decline in overall sense of financial security among men, 42% of whom describe their financial situation as “fair” or “poor,” up from 34% in the beginning of 2022. However, roughly 40% of men who are regularly saving for retirement believe they are saving enough, compared to just 30% of women.

“Every adult in America deserves to retire with dignity and financial security. Yet far too many people lack access to retirement savings options and this, coupled with higher prices, is making it increasingly hard for people to choose when to retire,” said Indira Venkateswaran, AARP Senior Vice President of Research. “Everyday expenses continue to be the top barrier to saving more for retirement, and some older Americans say that they never expect to retire.”

Nearly one-third (30%) of older adults who carry over a credit card balance from month-to-month report carrying a balance of $10K or more, while 12% described their balance as $20K or more, up from 8% roughly a year ago.

Despite this, 33% of respondents ages 50+ believe their finances will be better 12 months from now, but the lingering effects of inflation and high costs are still apparent:

• More than one-third (37%) are worried about covering basic expenses, such as food and housing.
• More than a quarter (26%) are worried about covering family caregiving costs.
• Seven in 10 (70%) are worried about prices rising faster than their income.
• Over a quarter (26%) of people who are not yet retired say they expect to never retire.

“America is facing a serious retirement crisis. AARP has a long history of supporting legislation to expand access to retirement savings, but Congress must act more swiftly to provide the financial support older Americans need and deserve,” said Nancy LeaMond, AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer. “We have worked with 19 states to create programs to make it easier for people whose employers don’t offer a retirement plan to be able to save for their future. But about two-thirds of states have yet to act, and we await action from the federal government.”

Americans are 15 times more likely to save for retirement when they have access to a workplace plan. Yet nearly 57 million people do not have access to a retirement plan at work.

Congress is currently considering different pieces of legislation that would expand retirement security, including the bipartisan Retirement Savings for Americans Act of 2023, which would provide retirement savings accounts to eligible workers without employer-sponsored retirement plans, and the Automatic IRA Act of 2024. 

Eight states have auto-IRA programs up and running: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Oregon, and Virginia, while Massachusetts has a multiple employer plan in place. Ten other states have passed legislation and are at various stages of implementation, including Washington, where auto-IRA legislation was signed into law last month.  

To view the full Financial Security Trends Survey and methodology, visit aarp.org/financialtrends. And learn more about AARP’s ongoing efforts to make it easier for everyone to save for retirement.   

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About AARP
AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering Americans 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the more than 100 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also works for individuals in the marketplace by sparking new solutions and allowing carefully chosen, high-quality products and services to carry the AARP name. As a trusted source for news and information, AARP produces the nation's largest circulation publications, AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org/about-aarp/, www.aarp.org/español or follow @AARP, @AARPenEspañol and @AARPadvocates on social media.