Gallagher: Only 28% of US Employees Trust Retirement Savings Plans
Rolling Meadows, Ill. – October 14, 2026 -- Only 28% of US employees believe their current retirement savings strategy will meet their goals, even though 85% of employers offer retirement benefits, according to Gallagher's 2026 US Financial Benchmarks Report.
The report draws on responses from 3,717 US organizations that took part in Gallagher's Benefits Strategy & Benchmarking Survey from January through March 2026. It also uses employee findings from the 2026 Financial Health Assessment, which covers 981 participants.
Employers shift retirement focus from plan access to participant outcomes
Among employees aged 55 and older, 30% name retirement planning as their biggest financial stressor. Employers are responding with plan design: 57% use auto-enrollment and 33% use auto-escalation. SECURE 2.0 now makes both features mandatory for most new retirement plans.