LIMRA: 77% of advised pre-retirees feel highly prepared for retirement vs. 47% without

Just 40% of pre-retirees surveyed by LIMRA said they work with a financial professional. That is the gap at the center of LIMRA's 2026 Retirement Income Readiness Report: 88% of pre-retirees have spent time thinking about retirement income, while 76% spent no more than five hours in the last year taking any planning steps, 401(k) Specialist reported.

Among pre-retirees who work with a financial professional, 77% say they now feel highly prepared for retirement, versus 47% of those working toward retirement without professional guidance. LIMRA suggests those findings point to an opportunity for retirement advisers to reach pre-retired workers who have not yet sought professional help.

"Consumers have already done the hardest part. They are paying attention, and they are worried about the right things," said Bill Nash, head of member relations at LIMRA and LOMA. "What's missing is the step from thinking to doing, and that is exactly where the industry comes in."