In this article
38% have a 401(k), IRA or similar account, compared with 61% of all non-retirees. 22% say they're on track.
Explore the data
| Group | Non-retirees with a 401(k), IRA or other tax-preferred retirement account (2025) |
|---|---|
| 18 to 29 | 38% |
| 30 to 44 | 65% |
| 45 to 59 | 74% |
| 60 and older | 76% |
| All non-retirees | 61% |
Source: Federal Reserve, Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025 (SHED), as of 2025 survey, published May 2026.
How many young adults have a retirement account?
Fewer than 4 in 10. In the Federal Reserve's 2025 Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking (SHED), 38% of non-retired adults ages 18 to 29 had a tax-preferred retirement account, such as a 401(k), IRA or Roth IRA. That rises to 65% for ages 30 to 44, 74% for ages 45 to 59 and 76% for ages 60 and older. Among all non-retirees, it was 61%. The share for 18 to 29 year olds was also 38% in the 2024 survey.
How many young adults think their retirement saving is on track?
22% of non-retired 18 to 29 year olds said their retirement saving was on track, compared with 35% for ages 30 to 44, 43% for ages 45 to 59 and 53% for ages 60 and older. Among all non-retirees, it was 35%, the same as in 2024. The Fed let each person decide what on track means for them.
What do the youngest adults own?
The Fed's asset table splits out ages 18 to 24. Among all adults that age, 45% had a savings account, money market account or CD, 28% had a tax-preferred retirement account and 18% held stocks, bonds, ETFs or mutual funds outside a retirement account. For ages 25 to 54, those shares were 52%, 63% and 33%.
Where does this data come from?
From the savings and investments chapter of the Federal Reserve's report, Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025 (tables 28 and 29), published May 2026. The 2025 survey was fielded in October 2025. Retirement account and on-track shares are among non-retirees. The Fed reports by age group, not by generation.
What this means for you
Open the account first, then grow what goes into it.
For most non-retired 18 to 29 year olds, the gap starts before any investing choice: there's no 401(k) or IRA to put money in yet. Opening one and setting a small automatic contribution gets money growing while you figure out the rest. How you stick with it depends on your Money Type: Strategist, Spender, Saver or Scrambler. The free quiz shows which first fix fits you.
Questions
In 2025, 38% of non-retired adults ages 18 to 29 had a tax-preferred retirement account, such as a 401(k) or IRA, according to the Federal Reserve's SHED survey. The Fed reports by age, not by generation.
61% of all U.S. adults had a tax-preferred retirement account in 2025. Counting employer pensions too, 67% had assets set aside specifically for retirement.
Among all adults ages 18 to 24, 18% held stocks, bonds, ETFs or mutual funds outside a retirement account in 2025, compared with 37% of all adults.
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Source and methods
Data from Federal Reserve, Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025 (SHED), as of 2025 survey, published May 2026. Among non-retirees. Tax-preferred retirement accounts include 401(k)s, IRAs and Roth IRAs. Chart and analysis by Priceless Tay. Rules can change after this date, so check your state's department of education for the latest.
You made it to the end. That's Saver-level patience.
