A salary above quarter or half a million dollars a year sounds like a safe place to be. New research from Goldman Sachs Asset Management suggests it does not always feel that way. A closer look at who is struggling to save for retirement turns up some unexpected names.
Goldman Sachs Asset Management, the primary investing arm of Goldman Sachs that oversees about $4 trillion in assets, released its 2026 Retirement Survey & Insights Report on September 30. The firm surveyed 5,106 Americans in July. They included 3,612 working people and 1,494 retirees aged 45 to 75. The behavioral economics firm Escalent helped design the questions. This year’s report focuses on how financial security changes with income, and the answer is surpriisingly not a straight line.
Key Findings
- 39% of respondents increased retirement savings, down 16% year over year; 14% cut them, up from 8%.
- 58% of savers feel on track, down from 68% in 2025.
- 36% of those earning above $300,000 live paycheck to paycheck, versus 42% of those earning under $100,000 and 23% in the middle.
- 70% of workers have delayed a major financial goal.
- 61% do extra work outside their main job, mostly out of financial need.
- 72% of those with a personalized retirement plan feel on track, versus 33% without one.
Savings vs Financial Survival Mode
Savings momentum is visibly slowing. The share of respondents who raised their retirement savings fell 16% year over year to 39%. The share who cut their savings rose to 14%, up from 8%. Only 58% of savers say they are on track with their savings plan or ahead of schedule, down from 68% in 2025.
Strain shows up at both ends of the income scale. Goldman found that 42% of those earning under $100,000 live paycheck to paycheck, as do 36% of those earning above $300,000. In the middle, it seems the financial outlook is best. Among households earning $100,000 to $300,000, the figure is only 23%.
How Financial Strain Affects Workers
Seventy percent of workers have delayed a major financial goal.
- Sixty-one percent do additional work outside their main job, and 71% of those say they do it out of financial need.
- Among Gen Z, Millennials and Gen X, 66% expect to delay retirement.
- More than half of workers (54%) say money worries make it hard to focus at work.
The findings matter most to financial advisors, plan sponsors and employers.
“Given the impact financial stress can have on work quality and productivity, employers have a unique opportunity and clear incentive to provide innovative support tools beyond traditional retirement plans.”
Jonathan A. Barber, Managing Director, Head of Compensation & Benefits Solutions Goldman Sachs Ayco
Goldman notes that people with a personalized retirement plan are far more likely to feel on track: 72%, compared with 33% of those without one.
“The encouraging news is there are solutions that can help. With better planning, personalized advice, and stronger portfolio and income strategies, savers can make every dollar saved yield more.”
Greg Wilson, Head of Retirement and Co-Head of Americas Third-Party Wealth at Goldman Sachs Asset Management
Other surveys have found similar pressure on high earners. A June 2026 report from SoLo Funds found that 44% of Americans describe themselves as cash-poor, meaning less than $200 in savings, and one in five of them earns more than $75,000 a year.
The U.S. workplace retirement market is adjusting to these pressures. Advisors are working out how to serve every part of a 401(k) plan, including digital tools. Demand for guaranteed income is strong: 83% of respondents want some in their retirement strategy. Just over half (51%) have already used AI for retirement planning.
