PwC 2026 Employee Financial Wellness Survey, April 2026 | 3,500 US employees
Gen Xers (those aged between 46 and 61) are in what should be their peak earning and saving years—but they’re quickly running out of runway.
PwC’s 2026 Employee Financial Wellness Survey, which polled nearly 3,500 US workers across many industries, found that only 38% of Gen X employees believe they will retire when they originally planned. Nearly half are pushing their retirement dates back, citing rising living costs and inflation that have made it increasingly difficult to set money aside.
The savings picture is grim. Two-thirds of Gen Xers have less than $100,000 saved. Meanwhile, Gen X workers should expect to need $1.46 million to retire comfortably, according to Northwestern Mutual’s 2026 Planning and Progress Study. With only one to two decades left to save, every year of delay makes that target harder to reach.
The math gets worse. More than half of all survey respondents say they expect to tap into retirement accounts to cover current living expenses. For Gen X workers who are already behind on savings, early withdrawals don’t just delay retirement—they actively shrink the foundation it would rest on.
The financial strain shows up beyond the balance sheet. PwC found that 59% of respondents are currently stressed about their finances, with that stress affecting mental health, sleep quality, and self-esteem. Workers under financial pressure also report reduced focus and productivity on the job—meaning the retirement shortfall isn’t just a future problem. It’s affecting how people feel and function today.
Closing that gap often means building additional streams of income, through consulting work, part-time roles, or building a small side business to supplement what retirement accounts alone are unlikely to cover.
