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76% of American retirees have big savings regrets — and younger workers now plan to put off retirement to avoid them

Aditi Ganguly

Sat, August 1, 2026 at 1:40 PM GMT+3 12 min read

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American retirees are looking back on their retirement savings experience and, in big numbers, are expressing deep regrets over not saving enough cash for their post-working years.

That's the conclusion from a new Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA) study.

TIAA found that 76% of American retirees regret not starting to save earlier in their lives, while nearly the same amount (71%) wish they'd put away more money overall (1). The report also cited a "striking gap" between retirement and reality, and that variable can bring severe savings shortages to the table. Regrets were particularly common among younger retirees, with the average study respondent saying they left the workforce at age 57.

Future retirees, on the other hand, don't expect to retire until 62.

"The retirees in this study are sending a clear and urgent message to everyone still in the workforce: what happens today will define the retirement you experience tomorrow," Surya Kolluri, head of TIAA Institute, said in a statement.

"A retirement that meets or exceeds expectations requires planning for all the things you enjoy plus the unexpected."

What experts took away from the TIAA study

The study also digs deeper into the psyche of the average U.S. retiree, while providing a much-needed list of "red flags" younger retirement savers need to avoid.

Here's a closer look at the most critical of those lessons learned.

Underestimating retirement savings is a recurring theme

Multiple factors play into U.S. retiree financial regrets, and some are more equal than others, but all of them fall under insufficient planning, TIAA reported.

Nearly half (47%) of TIAA survey respondents say they regret not having clear retirement goals, while 49% expressed remorse over miscalculating healthcare and long-term care costs. Meanwhile, 49% regret not accounting for late working-year financial factors, health issues, career shifts, job loss and caregiving responsibilities.

That issue alone resonated deeply with survey responders, with 51% noting they had to leave the workforce for longer than one year due to an unplanned event.

Retirement savings experts say that remorse is all too real, as creating a rigid retirement plan that leaves no room for flexibility is a common misconception many individuals tend to have about saving for their retirement.

"Often, savers may plan unemployment around a specific age they'd like to retire, when in reality, predicting the twists and turns of life is nearly impossible," Brianna Rodgers, director of investor education at Madison Trust Company, told Moneywise.

Unexpected events like a health crisis, family obligations or a job loss can force you into retiring sooner than you'd originally planned.

"Shape your retirement plan around various retiring possibilities to help make transitions easier in the event you'll need to switch up your retirement timeline and strategy," Rodgers advised.

Get creative with long-term savings

The study also noted the importance of being forward-thinking and innovative with retirement savings.

That's particularly true when assuming you'll be able to simply work longer or later in life, as many retirees apparently assume, based on the TIAA study. After all, good health is never guaranteed, nor is maintaining or finding new work. There's also the difference between life expectancy and healthy life expectancy to consider.

Instead, younger generations may consider shifting their focus to acquiring multiple streams of income, Rodgers said.

"This doesn't necessarily suggest just starting a side hustle," she said. "Instead, young investors can consider working towards creating a diversified retirement portfolio and investing in assets that have the potential to produce passive income."

Alternative investments like real estate, private lending and cryptocurrency make good sense for current long-term savers, financial gurus say.

Stay disciplined and keep stacking retirement cash

Younger workers may want to pay attention to the TIAA study and learn from their elders' regrets and their mistakes, especially on how older Americans approached savings in their career years.

"It's important for people to realize that they can't save their way to a comfortable retirement," Robert Johnson, professor of finance, Heider College of Business at Creighton University, told Moneywise.

"It's essential they save and invest their way to a comfortable retirement. Financial mistakes begin early in life, and the biggest financial mistake people make is taking too little risk, not too much risk."

And many current retirees allocate long-term savings to money market accounts or low-risk bonds, instead of taking the long view and investing in the stock market.

According to data (2) compiled by Ibbotson Associates, large capitalization stocks (think S&P 500) returned 10.5% compounded annually from 1926-2025. Over that same time period, long-term government bonds returned 5.0% annually, and Treasury bills returned 3.3% annually.

"The surest way to build wealth over long time horizons is to invest in a diversified portfolio of common stocks," Johnson advised.

Someone with a long-time horizon — and people in their 30s have a long time horizon — "should not have exposure to money market instruments, yet many investors do because they fear the volatility of the stock market," Johnson added.

Keep investing consistently

For younger investors, time is one of the biggest advantages they have.

You don't need a massive paycheck or a five-figure portfolio to begin building wealth. Investing just $20 a week for 30 years could grow to more than $179,000, assuming an average annual return of 10% (3). The hardest part isn't finding thousands of dollars to invest — it's developing the habit of investing consistently through market ups and downs.

One of the easiest ways to stay on track is to automate the process. That's where platforms like Acorns come in.

Acorns allows users to invest spare change from everyday purchases automatically — helping them steadily build wealth without having to think about every market move.

All you have to do is link your cards, and Acorns will round up each purchase to the nearest dollar, investing the difference — your spare change — into a diversified portfolio of ETFs managed by experts at leading investment firms like Vanguard and BlackRock. Over a lifetime, a little bit of consistency can go a long way.

With Acorns, you can invest in an S&P 500 ETF built and managed by experts with as little as $5 — and, if you sign up today and set up a recurring investment, Acorns will add a $20 bonus to help you begin your investment journey.

Keep a cash buffer

While retirement investing should remain the priority, it's equally important to have money set aside for life's unexpected expenses. Without an emergency fund, even a relatively small financial setback could force you to tap your retirement savings long before you're ready.

And that can be a costly mistake. Early withdrawals can shrink your nest egg, trigger taxes or force you to sell investments during a market downturn — locking in losses that might have otherwise recovered over time.

There's also evidence that emergency savings can improve financial confidence. A recent Vanguard study found participants with at least $2,000 in emergency savings reported financial well-being scores that were 21% higher than those with no emergency fund (4). Those who had $2,000 plus an additional three to six months of living expenses reported another 13% improvement.

A high-yield account like a Wealthfront Cash Account can be a great place to grow your uninvested cash, offering both competitive interest rates and easy access to your money when you need it.

A Wealthfront Cash Account currently offers a base APY of 3.30% through program banks, and new clients can get an extra 0.75% boost during their first three months on up to $150,000 for a total variable APY of 4.05%.

That's 10 times the national deposit savings rate, according to the FDIC's June report.

Additionally, Wealthfront is offering new clients who enable direct deposit ($1,000/mo minimum) to their Cash Account and open and fund a new investment account an additional 0.25% APY increase with no expiration date or balance limit, meaning your APY could be as high as 4.30%.

With no minimum balances or account fees, as well as 24/7 withdrawals and free domestic wire transfers, your funds remain accessible at all times. Plus, you get access to up to $8M FDIC Insurance eligibility through program banks.

Invest in a safe-haven asset

Building retirement wealth isn't simply about chasing the highest returns — it's also about managing risk along the way. While equities have historically been one of the best ways to build wealth over the long run, relying too heavily on one asset class can leave your savings vulnerable during a market correction.

That's especially true today, with lingering inflation, geopolitical uncertainty and overvaluation concerns. Those risks carry even greater weight because people nearing retirement may have less time to recover from a major correction.

Diversification remains one of the simplest ways to reduce that risk. Gold has long been viewed as a safe-haven asset, often holding its value during periods of economic uncertainty when traditional financial markets come under pressure. If you're looking to preserve your wealth, gold is a favorite pick for these reasons.

Today, you can combine the recession-resistant properties of the precious metal with the tax advantages of an IRA by opening a gold IRA with the help of Priority Gold.

And with Priority Gold's platinum package, you can even get free account setup and insured shipping and storage for up to five years. Plus, you can also roll over your existing IRA or 401(k) into a precious metals IRA with Priority Gold — tax and penalty-free.

The best part? You can get up to $10,000 in complimentary silver upon making a qualifying purchase. And if you're not sure if gold, or how much gold, is right for your portfolio, you can download Priority Gold's wealth preservation guide for free to learn more.

What separates the prepared from retirees with regrets

One big factor that accelerates retirement savings is working closely with a trusted financial advisor, a lament also noted by retirees who tend to under-save for their golden years.

Data from Vanguard (5) shows that advisors can add up to about 3% annually in net returns, primarily through behavioral coaching, tax strategies, withdrawal planning, disciplined portfolio management, and stock and fund selection. Compounded after 20, 30, or 40 years of annual retirement savings, that figure really adds up.

Separate data from a 2024 Northwestern Mutual (6) report shows U.S. adults who partner with an advisor expect to retire at age 64, two years sooner than Americans who don't work with an advisor. The same study shows retirement saver/advisor teams save twice as much money over the long haul as savers with no professional investing help.

"It's the oversight of a financial advisor that helps," Noah Lewis, an associate money manager at Scholar Advising, told Moneywise.

When you're younger, workers have a sense of invincibility. They say they'll figure long-term savings out at some point, and kick the can down the road. Yet that mindset doesn't work.

"We all know the power of compounding and how important it is to start early," Lewis noted. You might look at the cost of an advisor and say, I don't know if I need this, but the value of having an actual plan in place instead of guessing makes a lot of sense."

Just knowing there's a second set of eyes, someone who's seen hundreds or thousands of these plans and knows the mechanics of what makes a good retirement, inspires confidence among retirement investors, and that's good for their investment portfolios.

"That's what separates prepared people from those who were maybe a little scared to start early or do their due diligence," Lewis added.

Find an expert for free

With this in mind, retirement planning isn't something you have to tackle alone. A financial advisor can review your investment mix, retirement timeline and withdrawal strategy to make sure everything is working together toward your long-term goals.

Platforms like Advisor.com connect you with a vetted FINRA/SEC-registered advisor near you for free.

Here's how it works: Simply enter a few details about your finances and goals, and Advisor.com will comb through its roster and connect you with a qualified expert best-suited for your needs based on your unique financial goals and preferences.

The platform does the heavy lifting for you, vetting advisors based on track record, client ratios and regulatory background. Plus, their network comprises fiduciaries, who are legally required to act in your best interests. This can help you easily connect with

Finding the right advisor isn't always easy — there's no one-size-fits-all solution. That's why Advisor.com lets you set up a free initial consultation, with no obligation to hire, to see if they're the right fit for you.

— With files from Brian O'Connell