İşte kaç Amerikalının emeklilik için 500 bin $ biriktirdiği — ve düşündüğünüzden daha fazlası. Bu grupta mısınız?

Here’s how many Americans have $500K saved for retirement — and it’s more than you might think. Are you in this group?

Vishesh Raisinghani

Wed, September 16, 2026 at 2:45 PM GMT+3 5 min read

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With all the doom and gloom in the headlines, it's easy to assume that most Americans are heading into retirement broke. But the data seems to suggest that many older Americans are actually doing better than expected.

In fact, millions of Americans have accumulated retirement balances of at least $500,000, which could be enough for a relatively comfortable retirement in many parts of the country.

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This cohort, based on recent data, could be larger than most people think.

Here's a closer look at the numbers.

Households with at least $500K

Across the U.S. population, roughly 9.3% of all households had at least $500,000 or more in retirement accounts, according to a Congressional Research Service analysis (1) of the Federal Reserve's Survey of Consumer Finances.

That's nearly 1 in 10 American households.

But when you focus only on Americans who are approaching or already at retirement age, the cohort grows much larger. The median retirement account balance for someone in their 60s, which is the typical retirement age in the U.S., is roughly $566,900 as of August 2026, according to Empower Personal Dashboard data (2).

Simply put, half of all Americans in their 60s have at least half a million in retirement savings.

Millions of Americans are also set for a seven-figure retirement. Nearly 1 in 5 people (21.9%) have at least $1 million in their 401(k) plans, according to Empower (3).

In other words, the millionaire club might not be as exclusive as you might think.

However, if you're currently heading for retirement with less than $500,000 saved up, the good news is you don't have to start panicking yet. There are a few ways to speed up your progress.

How to catch up

While the half-million and millionaire club continues to expand, millions of other Americans are heading for retirement with far less capital. In fact, roughly 1 in 5 Americans over the age of 50 have no retirement savings, according to an AARP survey (4).

If you're part of that group, it might seem daunting to have to start building a retirement portfolio in your 50s. But you don't necessarily have to make big moves to get started. Even small amounts can grow over time with the right strategy in place.

An easy first step might be to automate your finances so that you can invest and save on autopilot. Platforms like Acorns make this easier by linking spending and savings so that you don't have to think about it.

Here's how it works: All you have to do is link your cards, and Acorns will automatically invest spare change from your everyday purchases into a diversified portfolio of ETFs managed by experts at leading investment firms like Vanguard and BlackRock.

For instance, if you buy a donut for $3.25, Acorns will round up the purchase to $4 and invest the change in a smart investment portfolio. So a $3.25 purchase automatically becomes a 75-cent investment in your future.

Diversity your portfolio with real estate

If you already have a modest amount of money saved up, perhaps $250,000, you could focus on tax-efficient alternative assets like real estate.

Rental properties have long been a proven source of steady, passive income for high-net-worth investors. However, the time, effort and costs involved in managing and maintaining multiple properties prevent many from investing.

With Arrived, you can start investing in cash flow generating rental properties without the burden of buying it outright or taking up a mortgage.

Backed by world-class investors, including Jeff Bezos, Arrived allows you to invest in shares of vacation and rental properties, earning a passive income stream without the extra work that comes with being a landlord of your own rental property.

To get started, simply browse through their selection of vetted properties, each picked for their potential appreciation and income generation. Once you choose a property, you can start investing with as little as $100.

Plus, for a limited time, when you open an account and add $1,000 or more, Arrived will credit your account with a 1% match.

Get some professional help

If you have more than $250,000 and less than $500,000 saved up, an expert financial planner or investment advisor could help you catch up with some sophisticated tax maneuvers.

An optimized investment and tax plan can help you save up for retirement in a more predictable way.

For instance, if you have a portfolio of $250,000 or more, platforms like WiserAdvisor can connect you with vetted professionals who specialize in this kind of planning.

Just answer a few questions about your savings, retirement timeline and overall investment portfolio. From there, WiserAdvisor reviews its network to match you — for free — with up to three vetted, reputable advisors aligned with your specific needs.

You can then schedule no-obligation consultations with your matches to determine who is the best fit for your long-term goals.

WiserAdvisor is a matching service and does not provide financial advice directly. All matched advisors are third parties, and specific financial results are not guaranteed.

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Congress.gov (); Empower (), (); AARP ()

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.