One-Quarter of Gen Xers Think Nest Egg Won’t Last 14 Years — 4 Things They Are Doing About It

Vance Cariaga

Sun, February 22, 2026 at 9:09 AM GMT+9 3 min read

The oldest Gen Xers will qualify for Social Security retirement benefits in 2027, which means many have begun thinking more seriously about how they want to spend their retirement years.

That can be either an exciting prospect or a daunting one, depending on how much money you have saved. Unfortunately, many Gen Xers fall into the latter category because they haven’t built up a large enough nest egg.

One-quarter of Gen X investors say they’re concerned their savings won’t last more than 14 years, according to a survey of financial advisers and investors conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of Nationwide.

The survey included more than 500 advisers and more than 2,000 investors, including 580 in the Gen X age group.

One problem for many Gen Xers is that they haven’t prioritized retirement savings. About six in 10 (61%) nonretired Gen Xers say they didn’t feel retirement was an urgent priority until age 50 or older. More than one-quarter (26%) say they won’t reach that point until age 60 or older.

Here are four things Gen Xers are doing to help boost their retirement savings, according to the Nationwide/Harris survey.

1. Delaying Retirement or Working Longer

Although Gen Xers are fast approaching retirement, many have begun to entirely reconsider their timelines. Here are some findings from the Nationwide survey:

16% of nonretired Gen Xers say they plan to retire later than initially hoped.

26% believe that if they retired in the next 12 months, they would be forced to return to the workforce because of inadequate savings.

12% plan to work part time in retirement.

15% say they don’t know if they will ever be able to retire.

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2. Putting a Bigger Priority on Retirement Planning

More than one-third (37%) of non-retired Gen Xers say that watching their peers or family members struggle with retirement planning was a “primary trigger” for making planning a priority for themselves.

The economic landscape also plays a role. Nearly four in 10 (38%) Gen Xers say economic changes or market volatility “forced” them to prioritize retirement planning.

3. Changing Their Financial Habits

Inadequate retirement savings have prompted many Gen Xers to change their financial habits to help bolster their next eggs. Here’s a look at how:

40% of Gen X investors reduced discretionary spending.

34% increased their contributions to retirement accounts.

19% shifted their investment strategy to reduce risk.

 






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4. Hiring a Financial Advisor

More than one-quarter (28%) of Gen Xers say a financial planning session or advice from a professional advisor prompted them to make retirement planning a priority.

“As Gen X investors approach retirement, working with a trusted financial advisor becomes more critical than ever,” said Suzanne Ricklin, vice president of Nationwide Retention and Sales. “This generation faces unique challenges, and a calm, professional perspective can help cut through the noise, keep plans on track and protect the dreams they’ve worked so hard to build.”

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: One-Quarter of Gen Xers Think Nest Egg Won’t Last 14 Years — 4 Things They Are Doing About It

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