Goldman Sachs Asset Management’s 2026 retirement survey found Americans are delaying home purchases, retirement savings and other financial milestones as living costs, housing expenses and job-security concerns rise. Only 58% of respondents said they were on track to meet retirement goals, down from 68% last year, while 61% of employees reported taking on additional work, including 80% of Gen Z respondents and 77% of millennials. The report also found that financial strain follows a U-shaped pattern across income groups: it eases among workers earning $100,000 to $300,000 before increasing again above $300,000. Nearly 4 in 10 workers earning more than $300,000 said they lived paycheck to paycheck, and 42% reported making only minimum credit-card payments, compared with 35% of those earning $100,000 to $300,000 and about 40% of those earning under $100,000. Separately, 44% of respondents said they retired earlier than planned, while savings momentum weakened and commuting costs influenced job searches.