Skip to Content
Background copy 1

Reliable Research. Sensible Solutions.

We deliver high-quality retirement research that contributes to pragmatic policymaking by fostering an understanding of the value retirement brings to employers, workers, and the economy.

Latest Research and Analysis

Retirement Insecurity 2026: Americans’ Views of Retirement
Young woman inserting her last coins in a piggy bank, worried about her financial situation

Retirement Insecurity 2026: Americans’ Views of Retirement

New national research from the National Institute on Retirement Security finds that 80 percent of Americans say the nation faces a retirement crisis as rising costs and debt make it increasingly difficult to save. The report, Retirement Insecurity 2026: Americans’ Views of Retirement, also finds widespread concern about financial security in retirement, strong support for pensions, and growing caution about the role of artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency in retirement planning.

Aug 26, 2026

The Importance of Retirement Security

79%

of Americans believe the nation faces a retirement crisis.

Source: Retirement Insecurity 2024: Americans’ Views of Retirement

$1.5 Trillion

is the economic output powered by spending of U.S. private and public pension plans in 2022.

Source: Pensionomics 2025

87%

of Americans want action now to address the Social Security funding shortfall.

Source: Americans’ Views of Social Security

$40K

is the amount the typical Generation X household has saved for retirement.

Source: The Forgotten Generation: Generation X Approaches Retirement

Latest News

80% of Americans Say U.S. Faces Retirement Crisis Amid Affordability Pressures and Debt
Young woman inserting her last coins in a piggy bank, worried about her financial situation

80% of Americans Say U.S. Faces Retirement Crisis Amid Affordability Pressures and Debt

New national research from the National Institute on Retirement Security finds that 80 percent of Americans believe the nation faces a retirement crisis, as rising costs, debt, and other affordability pressures make it harder to save. The survey also finds widespread caution about AI-generated financial advice and cryptocurrency in workplace retirement plans, while 85 percent say Washington should make retirement security a higher national priority.

Aug 26, 2026

Group of Senior Retirement Friends Happiness Concept

Who We Are

The National Institute on Retirement Security is a non-profit, non-partisan organization established to contribute to informed policymaking by fostering a deep understanding of the value of retirement security to employees, employers, and the economy.

Divorce law and inheritance separation concept. Insurance plan protect family wealth. Hand separate saving money, finance inherit division, home loan, debt return, stack coin. Bank business investment

Membership

National Institute on Retirement Security members share our vision that all Americans should have access to retirement security.  Our diverse membership base makes our retirement research possible. 

Members

We appreciate our diverse membership base that makes our retirement research possible. 

Segal Logo
AARP logo
Linea Logo
Cheiron logo
blackrock-logo-0
BLBG_new
Aon Logo
TRSlogo[2]
OPERS Logo
NY STRS Logo
MD SRPS Logo
Colorado PERA Logo
CalSTRS Logo
CalPERS Logo
National Council on Teacher Retirement logo
National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems logo
NASRA Logo
Council of Institutional Investors logo