Key Takeaways Half of Americans under 35 have a retirement account, with participation rising to a high of 62% at ages 45–54. Among those with retirement accounts, typical balances start small, grow with age, and tend to peak in the early years of retirement. Starting early gives savings more time to grow, but boosting contributions later in your working years still makes a difference. How Many Americans Have Retirement Savings It’s easy to assume that most adults are saving for retirement—but w ...