Even Americans earning over $300,000 live paycheck to paycheck: Goldman Sachs survey reveals a retirement savings crisis

A high income does not always guarantee financial breathing room, and a recent Goldman Sachs report highlights this reality. According to the survey, 42% of respondents earning less than $100,000 annually and 36% of those earning more than $300,000 reported living paycheck to paycheck.

Meeting daily expenses has become challenging for many Americans. The recent survey found that close to 70% of respondents had postponed major financial goals. The pressure extends beyond the household and into the workplace: more than half of workers (54%) said financial concerns made it difficult to focus at work.

Goldman Sachs survey report titled 'The New Economics of Retirement, Making Every Dollar Saved Work Harder' says, "Financial security does not uniformly improve with income: workers defer financial milestones, supplement income from primary jobs. New solutions may help workers make their dollars saved work harder."

What is making it harder for Americans to save?

It is their daily expenses.

Inflation and the rising cost of living affect people’s ability to save. Respondents identified the following costs as obstacles:

• Housing costs: 31%
• Everyday living expenses: 31%
• Debt payments: 27%

As these expenses compete for a share of household income, retirement savings are slipping off track, raising concerns among the American population. According to the survey, 66% of respondents across Gen Z, millennials and Gen X expected to delay retirement because of competing financial priorities.

What can help Americans save better today?

Greg Wilson, Head of Retirement & Co-Head of Americas Third-Party Wealth, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, suggests that better planning, personalized advice, stronger portfolios, and income strategies can help savers make every dollar saved yield more.

What are Americans doing to save more and secure their retirement plans?

Workers are supplementing their income through additional work to build long-term financial security. According to the Goldman Sachs survey, 71% of those engaged in additional work said they were doing so out of financial need.

Who did Goldman Sachs survey, and what was its methodology?

The firm organized a survey in July, 2026. They polled 5,106 people in total, of which 3,612 were working individuals across generations and 1,494 were retired individuals between the age 45 to 75.

Sources:

Goldman Sachs Asset Management press release, September 30, 2026

FAQs

1. What percentage of high-income earners are living paycheck to paycheck according to the Goldman Sachs survey?
   According to the Goldman Sachs survey, 36% of respondents earning above $300,000 reported living paycheck to paycheck.
2. What are the main financial obstacles identified by survey respondents that affect their ability to save?
   Respondents identified housing costs (31%), everyday living expenses (31%), and debt payments (27%) as the primary obstacles affecting their ability to save.
3. What suggestions does Goldman Sachs provide to help Americans save better for retirement?
   Goldman Sachs suggests that better planning, personalized advice, stronger portfolios, and income strategies can help savers maximize the effectiveness of every dollar saved.