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One in five Americans over the age of 50 doesn’t have any retirement savings, according to a survey by the AARP (1).

And even if you have something tucked away, it may not be enough.

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Federal Reserve (2) data shows that the median retirement savings for households with members between ages 55 and 64 is around $185,000.

While that might seem like a lot, it is likely not sufficient to secure a comfortable retirement.

Let’s do the math. Further data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics finds the average retiree spends $59,616 a year, or a little less than $5,000 a month (3). With the estimated average Social Security check hitting only $2,071 a month in January 2026 (4), that’s a difference of almost $3,000 per month.

From these numbers alone, it’s clear today’s retirees will need ample savings to bridge the gap — and they know it.

In a survey published by Clever Real Estate in January 2026, American retirees said they believed the average retiree will need $823,000 in savings and investments to cover their retirement in the coming years (5). Meanwhile, the average American believes the “magic number” is closer to $1.46 million, based on research by Northwestern Mutual (6).

If these numbers are starting to make your own retirement plan seem trivial, not all hope is lost.

It’s never too late to ramp up your retirement savings, so here are four tips to secure your nest egg.

First up, you don’t have to navigate your retirement savings alone. People who work with financial advisors can see up to 3% increased returns through a combination of asset allocation, investment selection, systematic rebalancing and tax management, according to a report by Envestnet (7). This is backed up by research from Vanguard, which suggests investors can see a perceived value add of 3% when working with an advisor (8).

So, if you want to ensure you’re maximizing your retirement contributions, it could pay to speak to a qualified financial advisor.

Advisor.com connects you with licensed financial professionals in your area who can provide personalized guidance.

How it works is simple: Just enter a bit of basic information about yourself, like your ZIP code and retirement goals. Then Advisor.com will match you with a professional advisor who can help you determine how many years you have left to invest and assess your comfort level with market fluctuations — two key factors in building the right asset mix for your portfolio. They can also offer advice on other key retirement considerations such as eligibility for taxable deductions.

Even better, you can schedule a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your retirement goals and long-term financial plan to make sure they’re the right fit for you and your portfolio.

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Investing in gold can be a solid alternative to preserve your nest egg. Unlike the U.S. dollar, which has lost 87% of its purchasing power between 1971 and 2023 (9), gold’s value tends to remain stable over time.

Gold is regarded as a hedge against inflation for a simple reason: It can’t be printed out of thin air like fiat money.

In fact, investor enthusiasm for the yellow metal has recently propelled it to record levels, with gold prices jumping over 30% since this time last year (10). Despite a correction in late January, J.P. Morgan estimates that gold could hit highs of between $6,000 and $6,300 per ounce by the end of 2026 (11).

“Traditionally, a weaker dollar and lower U.S. interest rates increase the appeal of non-yielding bullion,” noted a less bullish report on gold from J. P. Morgan from December (12). “It has low correlation with other asset classes, so can act as insurance during falling markets and times of geopolitical stress.”

A gold IRA is one option for building up your retirement fund with an inflation-hedging asset.

Opening a gold IRA with the help of Goldco allows you to invest in gold and other precious metals in physical forms while also providing the significant tax advantages of an IRA.

With a minimum purchase of $10,000, Goldco offers free shipping and access to a library of retirement resources. Plus, the company will match up to 10% of qualified purchases in free silver.

If you’re curious whether this is the right investment to diversify your portfolio, you can download your free gold and silver information guide today. Just keep in mind that gold is typically best utilized as one part of an otherwise well diversified portfolio.

Gold and gold IRAs can be big changes to your portfolio mix, but that doesn’t mean that more traditional investment vehicles can’t move you towards your retirement goals.

For many Americans, your 50s aren’t just a countdown to retirement, they’re actually your peak earning years. This means you have a real opportunity to accelerate your retirement investments.

One way to do that is by automating your contributions so they line up with each paycheck. When your investing happens first, before bills or impulse spending, you can consistently build your nest egg without having to think about it.

Platforms like Stash make this incredibly straightforward.

With over 1 million active subscribers and more than $5 billion in assets under management, the intuitive app lets you set daily, weekly, or monthly recurring investments that fit your cash flow.

You can build a diversified portfolio in just a few clicks using its award-winning Smart Portfolio, which adjusts your investment mix based on your goals and risk level. Prefer a more hands-on approach? You can also choose your own stocks and ETFs, or combine both styles.

And if catching up on retirement is a priority, a Stash+ subscription offers 3% IRA matching1, which can give your contributions an extra boost.

You can set up a recurring deposit in just a few minutes and steadily build your nest egg on autopilot.

Plus, you can get a $25 bonus investment when you fund a new Stash account with $5, plus a 3-month trial to explore the platform.

*All investments are subject to risk and may lose value. View important disclosures. Offer is subject to T&Cs.

If you’re looking for more ways to generate passive income, there is always investing in real estate. It’s also seen as a hedge against rising costs as land tends to store value well, and rents increase with inflation. However, becoming a landlord yourself takes both capital and time. Those with one might not have much of the other, and vice versa.

But now there are opportunities to get passive income from real estate that also keeps your money relatively liquid.

For example, the Arrived Real Estate Income Fund is designed to generate regular dividend income while focusing on capital preservation.

The fund already manages more than $83 million in assets and has historically delivered an annualized cash yield of more than 8.1%. To put this in perspective, even the "aristocrats" of dividend stocks struggle to reach a high-water mark of 5.51%, according to Morningstar (13).

How it works is simple: Arrived offers short-term loans for professional real estate projects seeking to renovate, refinance or fund new construction. Each loan goes through a disciplined selection process and is backed by residential real estate, adding another layer of underwriting rigor and downside protection.

Even better, Arrived Real Estate Income Fund investors also have quarterly liquidity options beginning six months after their initial investment, offering more flexibility than many traditional income-focused investments.

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We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.

AARP (1); Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (2), (3); Social Security Administration (4); Clever Real Estate (5); Northwestern Mutual (6); Envestnet (7); Vanguard (8); GIS Reports Online (9); APMEX (10); J. P. Morgan (11), (12); Morningstar (13)

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.