Americans Automate Spending as Retirement Falls Out of Reach, Finds PensionBee

45% say they lack income to save for retirement while 90% pay for subscriptions, PensionBee's survey shows, and $17 a month could grow into $25,000.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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A nationally representative survey of 1,000 Americans by PensionBee reveals a stark disconnect in how Americans interact with financial automation. While most have fully embraced automatic spending on subscriptions, with 90% paying for at least one monthly subscription, a much smaller number automate wealth-building moves like automatic transfers to investment or retirement accounts. The survey found that 45% of Americans say they don't have enough disposable income to save for retirement, even as they pay for an average of six subscriptions, with one in four not knowing how many they have.

Why it matters

This survey highlights the challenge many Americans face in balancing present-day spending on conveniences like subscriptions with long-term financial security in retirement. While automation has made it easy to maintain monthly subscription services, the same level of automation has not been applied to building retirement savings, leaving many Americans falling behind on their retirement goals.

The details

PensionBee found that while 60% of Americans automate expenses like bills and 39% automate debt payments, only 11% automate transfers to investment accounts and 24% automate transfers to retirement accounts. The survey also found that while 45% of Americans say they lack the disposable income to save for retirement, 90% pay for at least one monthly subscription. PensionBee modeled that redirecting just $17 a month in unused subscription costs could grow to $25,000 by retirement, representing a quarter of the median U.S. household's current nest egg of $87,000.

  • The survey was conducted in 2026.

The players

PensionBee

A leading retirement savings provider, helping people consolidate, manage, and take control of their retirement savings. PensionBee manages $10 billion in assets and serves over 300,000 customers globally.

Romi Savova

The CEO of PensionBee.

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What they’re saying

“We have outsourced a fair chunk of our spending to algorithms. The vast majority of households have no trouble maintaining streaming subscriptions, but nearly half say they lack extra cash to put toward their retirement. As convenient as subscription services are, it's crucial to balance their present value against future security.”

— Romi Savova, CEO, PensionBee (stocktitan.net)

“Shifting these costs toward a retirement contribution is an easy way to boost wealth without feeling the pinch. Think of it as money already spent, and it could go a long way towards unlocking future wealth.”

— Romi Savova, CEO, PensionBee (stocktitan.net)

What’s next

PensionBee recommends that consumers cancel unused subscriptions and redirect that money into a 401(k) or IRA, consolidate any lost or forgotten retirement accounts, include subscriptions in a monthly financial review, and automate retirement contributions to build wealth over time.

The takeaway

This survey highlights the disconnect between Americans' willingness to automate monthly spending on subscriptions and their reluctance to apply the same level of automation to building retirement savings. By redirecting just a small portion of subscription costs into retirement accounts, Americans could significantly boost their long-term financial security without feeling an immediate impact on their monthly budgets.