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.
About 46% of employers have yet to implement optional SECURE 2.0 provisions or are unsure whether they have. Gallagher says attention is moving from compliance to optimization.
Employers expand financial guidance with self-service tools and one-on-one advice
More than four in five employers (81%) offer self-service financial planning tools. Another 68% provide one-on-one financial planning appointments, and 64% offer retirement plan enrollment and investment selection advice. Managed accounts advice is available at 48% of employers.
Delivering individualized guidance across large, diverse workforces remains difficult. Digital platforms, analytics and AI-enabled solutions are opening new ways to extend that support.
Financial stress moves up the workforce agenda at 45% of employers
Some 45% of employers report that financial wellbeing has become more important within their organizations. Among employees, 91% see a link between financial stress and mental health, and 74% say they make healthcare decisions with finances in mind.
John Tournet, US CEO of Gallagher's Benefits & HR Consulting Division, said employers increasingly tie financial health to workforce engagement and business performance.
Emergency savings programs reach only 5% of employers despite widespread need
More than half of employees (51%) have no emergency savings or less than three months of expenses set aside. Only 5% of employers offer a formal emergency savings program.
Other financial support is more common. Some 64% of employers contribute to health savings accounts, and 68% offer tuition assistance. Student loan repayment contributions and student loan forgiveness benefits are each offered by 14%.