BlackRock Survey Reveals Widening Confidence Gap in Retirement Preparedness
- October 17, 2025
- Posted by: August
- Category: Retirement Insights
BlackRock’s tenth annual Read on Retirement® survey offers insight into how Americans view their retirement readiness in 2025. The findings reveal a notable contrast between the confidence reported by individual savers and the assessments made by plan sponsors, highlighting a growing gap in how preparedness is perceived.
Savers Express Greater Confidence Than Employers
The survey shows that a majority of workplace savers believe they are on track to meet their retirement goals. In contrast, far fewer plan sponsors believe participants are adequately prepared, reflecting a record-level disparity between individual optimism and employer concern.
This confidence gap suggests that individuals may evaluate their progress differently than employers, who often have visibility into broader participation trends, contribution behavior, and long-term sustainability metrics.
Economic Conditions Influence Retirement Confidence
Inflation and market volatility continue to shape perceptions of retirement readiness. While confidence has improved from prior years, it remains sensitive to economic uncertainty, particularly as higher living costs affect both saving capacity and future income expectations.
Planning Challenges Vary Across Demographics
The findings also highlight differences across age groups. Younger workers tend to express greater optimism, while those closer to retirement report more concern around income adequacy and stability.
These variations suggest that retirement planning needs evolve over time and that confidence may not always align with proximity to retirement.
Why These Findings Matter
BlackRock’s 2025 survey highlights the importance of understanding both perceived and measured retirement readiness. Aligning confidence with realistic expectations around income stability, market conditions, and longevity can help households better evaluate their preparedness for retirement.
Source: BlackRock. Original press release published September 8, 2025.
Read the original press release.
Foxcove Insight
This update reflects broader themes we monitor closely for our clients — including retirement income stability, planning under changing market conditions, and the importance of aligning financial decisions with long-term goals.
At Foxcove Financial, we focus on strategies that support a confident retirement:
- Creating reliable income that supports your lifestyle
- Reducing the impact of market swings and longevity risk
- Using IRS rules, account types, and insured IRA options effectively
- Coordinating income sources so your plan stays consistent year-to-year
If you’re considering how today’s financial developments may affect your retirement income strategy, Foxcove Financial can help you evaluate insured IRA solutions and fixed annuity options that align with your goals.