WTW study finds U.S. worker financial wellbeing down 10 percentage points since 2019

WTW's 2026 Global Benefits Attitudes Study, released Oct. 15, found 36% of U.S. employees say they are financially secure, down from 46% in 2019. Physical thriving rose over the same period, to 64% from 54%. Nearly half of those surveyed say they are off track on retirement savings.

Among respondents in their 40s and 50s, 70% expect a worse retirement than their parents had. Almost 60% of older employees cite rising living costs as their biggest retirement concern, and 47% name healthcare costs the major barrier to saving. Half say they live paycheck to paycheck and that financial problems are hurting their lives. More than 40% of workers in their 40s say money worries have caused them to delay or skip doctor visits.

More than half of respondents said they want more employer support to reestablish their financial wellbeing. Courtney Stubblefield, WTW's strategy and specialty leader for health and benefits, called the low financial-security marks a wake-up call for employers weighing which benefits make the biggest difference. In a press release, she said, "What stands out is how opposite financial security moved to everything else." The study points to comprehensive workplace programs, 401(k) plans and financial counseling as the response. The findings measure self-reported wellbeing rather than account balances.