{"version":"2026-state-of-american-retirement-savings","name":"SwitchWize State of American Retirement Savings","snapshotDate":"2026","citeAs":"SwitchWize, \"The State of American Retirement Savings: 2026 Report.\" Retrieved 2026.","sourcePage":"https://www.switchwize.com/learn/state-of-american-retirement-savings-2026","headline":{"average401kBalance":167970,"median401kBalance":44115,"averageToMedianRatio":3.81,"medianIncomeAt4pctAnnual":1765,"medianIncomeAt4pctMonthly":147},"byAgeMedian401k":[{"ageBand":"under-25","median":2234},{"ageBand":"55-64","median":107269},{"ageBand":"65-plus","median":103202}],"stressSignal":{"hardshipWithdrawalRate2025":0.06,"note":"Up from 5% in 2024 and roughly triple the pre-pandemic rate."},"sources":[{"label":"Vanguard, How America Saves 2026","detail":"Average, median, by-age 401(k) balances and hardship-withdrawal rate across ~5M accounts.","url":"https://workplace.vanguard.com/insights-and-research/report/previewing-how-america-saves-2026.html"},{"label":"SwitchWize calculation","detail":"Applies a 4% withdrawal rate to the reported median balance."}],"methodology":{"summary":"The average is skewed upward by a minority of very large balances; the median is the balance of the typical worker. Income figures apply a 4% withdrawal rate to reported balances.","caveat":"Figures reflect workers with a workplace plan and understate the challenge for those without one. Other sources using different account populations report different levels but the same large average-to-median gap."}}