EBRI Finds 73% of Retirees Confident on Finances Despite 69% Fearing System Changes
Updated
Updated · Forbes · May 11
EBRI Finds 73% of Retirees Confident on Finances Despite 69% Fearing System Changes
1 articles · Updated · Forbes · May 11
Two in three retirees said they are living the lifestyle they envisioned, and 73% said they are at least somewhat confident they will have enough money in retirement, according to EBRI’s 2026 survey.
That relatively upbeat picture is tempered by future risks: 69% cited major changes to the U.S. retirement system as their top concern, while 56% worried about a recession.
Social Security remains central to retiree finances, with 9 in 10 naming it their primary income source; forecasts warn benefits could be cut by 20% or more in the early 2030s without congressional action.
Health is another vulnerability: only about one in three retirees reported excellent or very good health, while 46% feared a future health event and 44% worried about caregiving demands.
The survey suggests current retirees are mostly stable rather than in crisis, but confidence could erode if policy changes, market losses, widowhood or major medical costs hit unprepared households.
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