Survey Finds Only 28% of Retirees Comfortable Spending Savings
A survey of older adults holding at least $100,000 in savings found that just 28 percent felt comfortable watching those savings decline to cover living expenses — the very purpose for which the money was set aside. The finding, reported by The Atlantic, points to a broader economic concern: retirees' reluctance to spend down their assets affects not only their own households but the wider national economy. The Atlantic frames the behavior as a problem for the country, since consumer spending by older Americans is a significant economic driver. A separate study referenced by NAPA-Net suggests that retirement spending anxiety eases when individuals have a formal decumulation plan in place.
Key facts
- Only 28 percent of surveyed older adults with at least $100,000 were comfortable watching savings taper off for living expenses.
- The survey covered older adults holding a minimum of $100,000 in savings.
- The Atlantic characterized the spending reluctance as a problem for retirees and for the country.
- A NAPA-Net-referenced study suggests retirement spending anxiety eases with a decumulation plan.
- The behavior concerns money ostensibly saved specifically to cover living expenses.
- The Atlantic published the analysis in its economy section in October 2026.
- The NAPA-Net coverage of the decumulation study appeared in June 2026.
- Reduced spending by retirees carries implications for the broader national economy.
Entities
Institutions
- The Atlantic
- NAPA-Net