36th Annual Retirement Confidence Survey (RCS)

Press Release

EBRI’s - Employee Benefit Research Institute - latest US Retirement Confidence Survey highlights declining confidence among both US workers and retirees, as inflation and uncertainty around Social Security continue to weigh on retirement outcomes. This is accelerating demand for simple, low‑cost and transparent investment solutions. #ETFs are well positioned to help address this need—particularly when delivered as outcome‑oriented portfolios and retirement solutions, rather than as standalone products. The opportunity lies not just in access, but in education, packaging and guidance to help retail investors take greater control of their retirement outcomes.

Key findings – EBRI (Employee Benefit Research Institute) Retirement Confidence Survey (2026)

·       Inflation and the cost of living remain the primary pressures, significantly impacting the ability of individuals to save and plan for retirement

·       Financial resilience is weakening, with fewer individuals confident they can meet short-term financial shocks or emergency expenses

·       Reliance on Social Security is very high, with the vast majority of workers expecting it to be a key source of retirement income

EBRI (Employee Benefit Research Institute) is a non‑profit, independent, nonpartisan research organisation founded in 1978 based in Washington, D.C.

EBRI (Employee Benefit Research Institute) annually surveys a broad, representative sample of US adults aged 25+ . The sample includes: ~1,000+ Workers (pre‑retirement investors) and ~1,000+ Retirees (decumulation phase)

Read the full report at:

https://www.ebri.org/docs/default-source/rcs/2026-rcs/2026-rcs-release-report.pdf