Retirees say you now need $823,800 saved to retire comfortably in 2026

Retirees surveyed by Clever Real Estate said new retirees need an average of $823,800 saved to retire comfortably in 2026, up from the $580,310 figure they gave for 2025. Clever Real Estate data writer Nick Pisano attributed the jump mainly to continued inflation, saying retirees may have treated past price increases as temporary but are now adjusting to a "new normal."

The number retirees say is needed is far above what they actually saved: the typical retiree in the survey had just $288,700 set aside, and fewer than one in four had half a million dollars or more when they retired. Pisano said the gap partly reflects retirees having spent down savings after being retired for more than a decade on average, along with some assuming peers live more expensive lifestyles than they actually do.