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PlanGap's 2026 Social Security Confidence Survey Finds 7 in 10 Americans 45+ Lack Confidence Benefits Will Remain Intact
[June 22, 2026]

PlanGap's 2026 Social Security Confidence Survey Finds 7 in 10 Americans 45+ Lack Confidence Benefits Will Remain Intact


PlanGap, the product innovation company pioneering a new class of policy risk insurance solutions, today released the findings of its sixth annual Social Security Confidence Survey. The nationally representative study of 1,082 U.S. adults ages 45 and older found that confidence in the future of Social Security remains low, while concerns about artificial intelligence and job security are beginning to enter the retirement anxiety conversation.

The survey was conducted after the release of the 2026 Social Security Board of Trustees Report, which projected that the trust fund responsible for retirement benefits will be depleted in late 2032. At that point, the program would be able to pay 78% of scheduled retirement benefits, representing a potential 22% shortfall.

According to the survey, 69% of respondents said they are not confident the government will solve Social Security's funding challenge without reducing benefits, while 68% said they are concerned "a great deal" or "a lot" that they may not receive their full benefits as promised.

"For six years, our survey has shown the same basic reality: Americans approaching retirement do not view Social Security uncertainty as an abstract policy issue," said David Duley, Founder and CEO of PlanGap. "They see it as a direct threat to the retirement plans they have spent decades building. What is different this year is that Social Security anxiety is now showing up alongside a newer fear - whether technology, including AI, could disrupt work and income before retirement even begins."

Highlights from the 2026 Survey

Confidence Remains Low

  • 69% of respondents said they are not confident the government will solve the Social Security funding challenge without reducing benefits.
  • 68% said they are concerned "a great deal" or "a lot" that they may not receive their full Social Security benefits as promised.

Social Securit Remains Central to Retirement Planning

  • 83% said Social Security will play a major or moderate role in their retirement plan's success.
  • 60% expect Social Security to fund at least half of their personal retirement income.

AI Job Loss Enters the Retirement Anxiety Conversation

  • When asked to compare the stress of a potential 22% monthly Social Security benefit cut to another stressful event, the top response was losing a job to AI, selected by 18% of respondents.
  • Other top comparisons included the death of a loved one (13%), getting into a car accident (11%), being diagnosed with cancer (11%) and a global pandemic (9%).

Emotional Impact of Potential Cuts


  • 80% said they feel frustrated, angry, scared or nervous that benefit cuts will negatively affect their retirement plan's success.
  • Only 11% said they feel content because they are hopeful the government will fix the issue in a timely manner without cutting benefits.

How Americans Expect Washington to Respond

  • 68% of respondents expect some form of benefit reduction as the primary way Washington will address Social Security's funding challenge. That includes:
    • 33% who expect the government to raise the eligibility age.
    • 20% who expect benefit reductions for higher-wage earners.
    • 15% who expect benefit reductions for all recipients.

PlanGap Perspective

The 2026 survey continues a six-year pattern: Americans at or near retirement age remain deeply concerned about the reliability of future Social Security benefits, and they continue to view potential benefit reductions as a direct threat to their retirement plans.

PlanGap believes this reflects a broader retirement planning challenge. The retirement industry has long helped people plan for market risk, longevity risk and healthcare costs. But millions of Americans are also exposed to policy risk - the risk that a benefit, program or promise they built their retirement around changes after they have already made their plans.

PlanGap is focused on helping retirees and near-retirees prepare for that kind of risk through financial solutions designed to help offset potential disruptions to retirement income.

"People have been told for decades to build their retirement plans around Social Security," Duley said. "If those benefits are reduced, delayed or changed, that is not just a government accounting issue. It is a household income issue. Our goal is to help people prepare for the possibility that the government may not fully deliver on the promises retirees are counting on."

Survey Methodology

PlanGap conducted the 2026 Social Security Confidence Survey online among 1,082 U.S. adults ages 45 and older following the publication of the 2026 Social Security Board of Trustees Report.

About PlanGap

Headquartered in Atlanta and founded in 2017, PlanGap is a product innovation company creating a suite of trigger-based annuity and life insurance products - policy risk insurance - designed to address previously unaddressed financial concerns for retirees. Through its insurance carrier partners, PlanGap empowers individuals to protect their retirement income from potential policy changes. For more information, visit plangap.com.


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