Financial security among US workers has fallen to its lowest level in seven years, with many employees cutting back on medical care to manage rising costs, research suggests.
A survey of 6,000 employees by benefits company Willis Towers Watson (WTW) found that the proportion who felt financially secure dropped from 46% to 36% in 2026.
The decline came despite respondents reporting improvements in their physical health and social relationships. Their sense of wellbeing had deteriorated when it came to financial matters, WTW said.
Healthcare costs create barriers
About one in three employees across every age group said they had delayed or missed a medical or dental appointment in the past year because of the cost, even though they had health insurance.
Courtney Stubblefield, a WTW health and benefits practice leader, said high deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses were making it harder for workers to obtain the treatment they needed.
Employees in their 40s reported the lowest level of financial security. Only 30% said they felt secure, compared with half of those aged 60 and over.
More than 40% of workers in their 40s said they had postponed or skipped medical care because of money worries, the highest proportion recorded among the age groups surveyed.
Ms Stubblefield said people in mid-career were often supporting children while also caring for ageing parents. They were also more likely to pay for family health coverage and face costs linked to school or university.
Workers fear a poorer retirement
Roughly two-thirds of employees said they expected to be worse off in retirement than their parents’ generation. Healthcare costs were cited as one of the obstacles preventing them from saving more.
Separate research by Prudential Financial found that more than six in 10 retirees with at least $500,000 in investable assets did not feel comfortable spending money for enjoyment.
Inflation, the rising cost of living and healthcare expenses were among the reasons retirees gave for holding back on entertainment spending.
Older Americans have nevertheless seen stronger gains in wealth than younger age groups. Federal Reserve data showed that households headed by someone aged 75 or over had the highest median net worth of any age group in 2025, at $504,000.
Households headed by people aged 65 to 74 saw their wealth rise by 37% between 2022 and 2025, the Federal Reserve concluded.
