• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Former U.S. Secret Service agent says bringing your authentic self to work stifles teamwork: 'You don’t get high performers, you get sloppiness'

2

Former VP Kamala Harris says she went through a nine-hour interview to land the job—but she couldn’t escape ‘gold medal depression’ even when she won

3

A new trade war may be brewing. This time, Europe is taking a page from Trump's playbook — 'We no longer live in a world of pink ponies and rainbows'

1

Former U.S. Secret Service agent says bringing your authentic self to work stifles teamwork: 'You don’t get high performers, you get sloppiness'

2

Former VP Kamala Harris says she went through a nine-hour interview to land the job—but she couldn’t escape ‘gold medal depression’ even when she won

3

A new trade war may be brewing. This time, Europe is taking a page from Trump's playbook — 'We no longer live in a world of pink ponies and rainbows'
Personal FinanceRetirement

No pension, no problem: Goldman Sachs report shows how younger generations are becoming more retirement-ready than boomers

Alicia Adamczyk
By
Alicia Adamczyk
Alicia Adamczyk
Senior Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
Alicia Adamczyk
By
Alicia Adamczyk
Alicia Adamczyk
Senior Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 30, 2024, 9:30 AM ET
Grandmother spending time with her granddaughter
Younger generations are becoming more confident about their retirement readiness.Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Millennials and Gen Zers are famously on their own when it comes to retirement savings, with virtually no access to pensions, and muted expectations of being able to rely on Social Security. Ironically, that pessimism actually may be helping them.

Recommended Video

That’s according to a new report from Goldman Sachs Asset Management, which surveyed over 5,200 working and retired individuals across generations. The report, which examined various obstacles in saving for retirement among baby boomers, Generation X, millennials, and Generation Z, found that younger generations were far more confident in their ability to reach their goals.

Around 45% of Gen Xers said they’re behind schedule when it comes to saving for retirement. With the introduction of 401(k)s, that generation (and the youngest boomers) became the first to begin saving primarily on their own, which led to a dearth of savings; Goldman calls them the “401(k) experiment” generation. The report notes that some Gen Xers—the oldest will turn 60 next year—are retiring earlier than expected, not because they have the funds but because of their health or family caregiving needs.

Baby boomers, too, aren’t as confident about having saved enough for retirement as might be expected given the headlines about their unprecedented wealth. Currently aged 60 to 78, they also report retiring later than the generations before them, a trend previous research backs up. Some simply need to work longer for a paycheck, while others, buoyed by good health and longer life expectancy, want to stay in the workforce as long as possible.

“The 401(k) transition looms large for Gen X and working baby boomers, and many working Americans have taken a long time to adapt to the new retirement system—some too long,” Goldman’s report notes. “Many may lack coherent strategies for how much to save, how to invest, and when they can afford to retire.”

A different report recently noted how over 50% of so-called peak boomers—those reaching traditional retirement age—have accumulated $250,000 or less, meaning it’s likely they’ll burn through whatever assets they’ve accumulated and be dependent on Social Security. Women in that generation are faring worse than men, holding about 30% less in savings, and Hispanic and Black boomers hold far less wealth than white retirees.

‘Be mindful’

Younger generations, meanwhile, are under no illusion they can simply rely on outside contributions to bolster their retirements. So they’ve started saving on their own, and at a younger age than the generations before them: Gen Z, born between 1997 and 2012, has median retirement savings of $29,000, and 68% believe they’re on track, a far higher share than Gen X or boomers, according to Goldman.

That’s promising news. The report details what a substantial difference the first decade of savings can make in the total size of someone’s nest egg. Assuming a $50,000 starting salary with 2% wage increases each year, 5% contributions from both the employee and employer, and a 6% annual return, saving during the first 10 years of one’s career can lead to 67% higher savings compared with someone who waited longer to invest, per Goldman’s calculations.

Still, some perspective might be needed. The report found once again that a large share of Gen Z wants to retire early: 44% said they want to leave the workforce before age 60, and 14% said they plan to retire between 65 and 69. But that’s a goal that could prove difficult in today’s economy—particularly given increases in life expectancy that could extend retirement periods by a decade or more.

“Gen Zers should be mindful that if they underprepare early in their career, it may be too difficult to catch up,” the report reads.

‘Financial vortex’

The oldest millennials, now approaching middle age, are facing a confluence of factors Goldman dubs the “financial vortex”: Combinations of student loan payments, credit card debt, childcare costs, home buying, and caring for elderly parents or family members are cutting into potential retirement savings. (Notably, Gen Z isn’t far behind.)

Still, millennials remain the most confident generation in their ability to retire: 69% said they’re on track or ahead of schedule with their savings, and 43% are very confident they’ll meet their goal, compared with 25% of Gen X and 22% of working boomers.

That’s impressive for a generation that has dealt with financial setback after financial setback, as well as increased costs for necessities like housing and childcare. Recent research from the Federal Reserve has found that millennials—at least the wealthiest ones—are making significant gains in wealth accumulation.

In a few respects, it has been easier for some of them: They’ve learned from older generations, but they’ve also had more and better options to save for retirement, such as automatic enrollment, Chris Ceder, a senior retirement strategist with Goldman Sachs Asset Management, told Fortune.

“These generations are being more proactive planning for their retirement and taking advantages of the resources available to them,” Ceder added.

The Fortune 500 Innovation Forum will convene Fortune 500 executives, U.S. policy officials, top founders, and thought leaders to help define what’s next for the American economy, Nov. 16-17 in Detroit. Apply here.
About the Author
Alicia Adamczyk
By Alicia AdamczykSenior Writer
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Alicia Adamczyk is a former New York City-based senior writer at Fortune, covering personal finance, investing, and retirement.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Personal Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Personal Finance

Current price of gold as of June 22, 2026
Personal Financegold prices
Current price of gold as of June 22, 2026
By Danny BakstJune 22, 2026
2 hours ago
Top CD rates from major banks June 22, 2026: Chase CDs, Bank of America CDs, Citibank CDs, and more
Personal FinanceCertificates of Deposit (CDs)
Top CD rates from major banks on June 22, 2026: Chase CDs, Bank of America CDs, Citibank CDs, and more
By Joseph HostetlerJune 22, 2026
2 hours ago
Current price of Ethereum for June 22, 2026
Personal FinanceEthereum
Current price of Ethereum for June 22, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 22, 2026
2 hours ago
Current price of Bitcoin for June 22, 2026
Personal FinanceCryptocurrency
Current price of Bitcoin for June 22, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 22, 2026
2 hours ago
Current price of oil as of June 22, 2026
Personal FinanceOil
Current price of oil as of June 22, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 22, 2026
3 hours ago
Current price of silver as of Monday, June 22, 2026
Personal Financesilver
Current price of silver as of Monday, June 22, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 22, 2026
3 hours ago

Most Popular

Former U.S. Secret Service agent says bringing your authentic self to work stifles teamwork: 'You don’t get high performers, you get sloppiness'
Success
Former U.S. Secret Service agent says bringing your authentic self to work stifles teamwork: 'You don’t get high performers, you get sloppiness'
By Sydney LakeJune 21, 2026
1 day ago
Former VP Kamala Harris says she went through a nine-hour interview to land the job—but she couldn’t escape ‘gold medal depression’ even when she won
Success
Former VP Kamala Harris says she went through a nine-hour interview to land the job—but she couldn’t escape ‘gold medal depression’ even when she won
By Emma BurleighJune 21, 2026
1 day ago
A new trade war may be brewing. This time, Europe is taking a page from Trump's playbook — 'We no longer live in a world of pink ponies and rainbows'
Economy
A new trade war may be brewing. This time, Europe is taking a page from Trump's playbook — 'We no longer live in a world of pink ponies and rainbows'
By Jason MaJune 20, 2026
2 days ago
NBC’s Tom Llamas climbed from 15-year-old intern to the top anchor chair—and still isn’t satisfied: ‘If you're not growing, you're dying'
Success
NBC’s Tom Llamas climbed from 15-year-old intern to the top anchor chair—and still isn’t satisfied: ‘If you're not growing, you're dying'
By Preston ForeJune 21, 2026
1 day ago
'I literally was crying last night because I’m nervous about what I’m going to find out': a record 51% of Americans aren't 'cost secure' on health
Health
'I literally was crying last night because I’m nervous about what I’m going to find out': a record 51% of Americans aren't 'cost secure' on health
By Ali Swenson, Amelia Thomson-Deveaux and The Associated PressJune 20, 2026
2 days ago
Tenzin Seldon: The GLP-1 boom is the biggest climate story no one is pricing in
Commentary
Tenzin Seldon: The GLP-1 boom is the biggest climate story no one is pricing in
By Tenzin SeldonJune 21, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.