Those factors include not only inflation, but also longer life expectancies \u2014\u00a0and uncertainty over the stability of Social Security, Roberts said.<\/p>\n
He added that retirement is \u201cincreasingly complex,\u201d and Americans are \u201cresponding by setting higher expectations for what they\u2019ll need.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
High earners are even more ambitious, according to the stats.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Millionaires with over $1 million in investable assets say they\u2019ll need $2.67 million to retire without a financial worry in the world.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For the rest of us mere mortals, the experts recommend aiming to replace roughly 80% of pre-retirement income \u2014 saying individual needs vary depending on lifestyle, location, and personal goals.<\/p>\n
Only half of Americans currently think it\u2019s likely they\u2019ll outlive their savings \u2014\u00a0and 36% haven\u2019t even tried to address that possibility.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Gen X is the most jittery \u2014 with one in five delaying retirement because of financial concerns.\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/man-putting-coin-pink-piggy-125126927.jpg\")
Americans\u2019 retirement nest eggs just got a $200,000 price hike \u2014 the magic number is now $1.46 million. Only half of us feel ready to hit that mark, and confidence is shakier than a subway pole at rush hour. Brian Jackson \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n
Younger Gen Zers are surprisingly optimistic \u2014\u00a0though confidence has slipped from 63% last year to 58% in 2026.<\/p>\n
The report also highlights a trend that might surprise some: Americans aren\u2019t ready to stop working<\/a> when they retire.\u00a0<\/p>\n Four in ten plan to keep clocking in past the traditional retirement age, with Millennials and Gen Xers leading the charge at 50%.\u00a0<\/p>\n In the background of all this retirement planning is a looming tech anxiety: about one-third of Americans say they\u2019re pessimistic about AI\u2019s<\/a> impact on their careers, with nearly half of Gen Zers worried about what the robot revolution might mean for their wallets.<\/a><\/p>\n Roberts warns that these figures \u201cpaint a picture of retirement that may stretch 30 to 40 years or longer.\u201d<\/p>\n As people plan to live longer, he stressed that \u201ctheir money needs to work longer, too.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cPlanning for longevity isn\u2019t just about accumulating more \u2014 it\u2019s about building a strategy that can sustain income, manage risk, and adapt over time.\u201d<\/p>\n For Americans hoping to keep pace with the magic number, the report offers some classic rules of thumb.<\/p>\n One tip is to try the \u201c25x Rule\u201d \u2014 or saving 25 times your expected annual spending.<\/p>\n Another is the \u201c$1,000-a-Month Rule\u201d \u2014 where each $1,000 of desired monthly spending equals roughly $300,000 saved.<\/p>\n One more is the \u201c4% Rule,\u201d involving withdrawing 4% of your retirement savings in year one, then adjusting for inflation.<\/p>\n As previously reported<\/a> by The Post, $1 million in retirement savings doesn\u2019t go far in the Empire State.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/peaceful-dreams-aging-together-serene-125126940.jpg\")
According to the new NorthwesternMutual study, nearly half of Americans fear they\u2019ll outlive their savings, while a shocking third haven\u2019t even tried to plan for it. fizkes \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n