MADISON, Wis.-- New research from TruStage Retirement Solutions reveal that personalized and digital retirement planning support can drive meaningful clarity, confidence and action among workers, a shift that reflects changing participant expectations across the industry, the company reported.
Participants who engaged with either digital retirement tools or one-on-one education sessions reported feeling significantly more informed about their financial futures. Nearly two-thirds (63%) described the one-on-one guidance they received as “very” or “extremely” helpful, and an impressive 73% took some action steps in their retirement planning following a consultation. Yet only about one in four workers know how much they’ll need to retire comfortably, underscoring the confidence gap that financial professionals must address.
The research also highlights how tailored support helps people make decisions aligned with their stage of life. Younger workers were more likely to boost contributions or begin Roth savings, while older workers commonly refined their investment allocations. Together, these insights reinforce the power of personalized education in helping individuals make confident, well-timed retirement planning decisions. Participants also signaled how they prefer to learn, with online tools (47%), short videos (46%), email (44%), and one-on-one consultations (43%) leading the way, TruStage noted.
“The data is clear, when people have clarity, delivered in the formats they prefer and reinforced by timely human guidance, confidence rises and decisions follow,” said Michael Conte, VP, institutional wealth business, TruStage. “That’s the industry shift this research highlights, and our role is to help financial professionals operationalize it.”
Although many consumers remain unsure about their retirement readiness, the research highlights clear opportunities to boost confidence. Just 28% of respondents know how much they’ll need to retire comfortably, and only 26% feel confident they’re saving enough. Confidence is even lower among younger workers and women, yet the findings show that with the right digital tools and personalized guidance, it can help close these gaps and empower people to take action.
“Financial professionals are re-tooling education strategies to improve confidence, not just awareness, mapping content to life stage and delivering it in participant-preferred formats,” Conte continued. “Placing one-on-one support at key decision moments; enrollment, pay raises or nearing retirement, converts clarity into action.”
For more information on the survey and TruStage Retirement Solutions visit https://www.trustage.com/business-solutions/workplace-solutions/retirement.