A six-figure salary may sound like financial security, but a new Goldman Sachs survey suggests that even some of America’s highest earners are struggling to keep up with expenses, save money, and reach long-term financial goals.
More than one-third of Americans earning more than $300,000 a year, some 36%, say they are living paycheck to paycheck, according to Goldman Sachs Asset Management’s 2026 retirement survey.
The survey found that financial strain is actually more pronounced at both ends of the income spectrum. Among Americans earning less than $100,000 annually, 42% said they live paycheck to paycheck. That figure falls to 23% among those earning between $100,000 and $300,000 before climbing again among those making more than $300,000.
When it comes to credit card payments, about 42% of respondents earning more than $300,000 said they are making only the minimum payments on their credit cards, compared with 35% of those earning between $100,000 and $300,000. Among people earning less than $100,000, about 40% said they make minimum payments.
The survey also found that financial pressures are affecting Americans’ ability to pursue major life goals. Nearly 70% of respondents across income levels said they had delayed a major financial goal.
And forget early retirement. About 66% of respondents from Gen Z through Gen X said they expect to retire later than originally planned. Meanwhile, only 58% of people currently saving for retirement said they consider themselves on track or ahead of schedule, a decrease from 68% in 2025.
All of this financial stress has affected people at work. More than half of respondents said money concerns make it difficult to concentrate on their jobs, and 32% reported missing work during the past year due to a financial challenge.
The survey was based on responses from 5,106 people collected in July 2026 and included both working Americans and retirees.