A survey released today by Boldin, the financial confidence company, found that uncertainty about retirement is a significant source of anxiety for many Americans. Of more than 1,000 financially savvy respondents, 66% said that before they had a plan, their retirement fears felt scarier than walking alone in the woods on a dark Halloween night.
The online poll asked Boldin users about their feelings before creating a retirement plan. Over 67% reported that their worries surfaced regularly, with 27% saying fears “weighed on them quite a bit,” 40% “somewhat” worried, and 26% “a little” concerned. Only 3% said they were not worried at all. The top specific fear, cited by 39% of respondents, was running out of money or outliving savings. Other concerns included not being able to afford their desired lifestyle (19%) and not knowing how to prepare for unknowns such as market volatility, inflation, or economic disruptions (17%).
The survey found that a written plan dramatically reduces fear. The vast majority (96%) said they felt more confident about their future once a plan was in place, with 68% feeling “much more confident” and 28% “somewhat more confident.” Only 3% said a plan didn’t change their outlook. When asked about their current feelings toward retirement, 46% described themselves as “confident,” 49% as “somewhat confident,” and only 4% as “anxious.” Notably, no Boldin users said they were outright fearful.
“We’ve heard from thousands of users that their confidence has increased dramatically once they have a retirement plan in place, and this data supports that sentiment,” said Steve Chen, Founder and CEO of Boldin. “When people build their financial know-how, they gain the clarity to make more informed decisions. At Boldin, we’re on a mission to make financial planning accessible and affordable so anyone can put their fears to rest and retire with confidence.”
Proactive steps that helped users feel more secure included running “what-if” and contingency scenarios (66%), establishing guaranteed income streams such as pensions, Social Security, or annuities (43%), becoming debt-free (36%), saving and investing consistently (34%), and seeking professional financial guidance (26%).
While financial worries dominated, health concerns also persisted. More than half (57%) said financial challenges were their greatest source of anxiety, while 43% feared non-financial struggles like declining health, loss of purpose, or social isolation. The online survey, conducted on October 10, 2025, polled 1,053 Boldin users, achieving a 95% response rate from 1,111 invitations. “Financially savvy Americans” are defined as people who create and manage their own financial plan on Boldin.com. To date, more than 350,000 individuals on Boldin are managing their own plans with over $300 billion in assets.
