Thasunda Brown Duckett, TIAA CEO, speaks with the WSJ Leadership Institute’s Alan Murray about ways to solve the growing retirement savings gap, limited access to workplace plans like 401(k) accounts, and why lifetime income solutions are a critical part of ensuring Americans have a secure retirement. ...

Core Insights - Generation X faces a significant retirement challenge, with only 16% believing they have saved enough money for retirement [1] - On average, Generation X expects to retire with $711,771 saved, which is substantially below the $1,116,747 they believe is necessary for a comfortable retirement [1] - The savings gap for Generation X is $404,976, the largest among all generations surveyed [1]

Core Insights - There is a significant disparity in retirement savings among Americans, with most struggling to save adequately for retirement, particularly those earning less than $150,000 annually [1][2][3] Group 1: Retirement Savings Trends - Since 2022, participation rates in retirement plans, total contributions, and overall savings rates have declined for individuals earning less than $150,000 [2] - Workers earning less than $50,000 experienced the most significant declines, with retirement plan participation dropping from 58% in 2022 to 52.9% in 2024, and their overall savings rate decreasing from 4.9% to 4.6% [3] Group 2: Income Disparities - Individuals earning between $150,000 and $250,000 contributed nearly 13 times more to retirement savings annually compared to those earning under $50,000 [4] - Approximately 90% of U.S. individuals aged 15 and older earned less than $150,000 in 2022, highlighting the financial challenges faced by the majority [1][3] Group 3: Economic Pressures - Rising costs of housing, healthcare, transportation, and childcare are pushing immediate needs to the forefront, causing many to deprioritize retirement savings [4] - Delaying retirement savings reduces the time available for accumulation and the benefits of compound growth, increasing the risk of outliving savings as life expectancy rises [4]