I suspect that most working Americans, like me, are looking forward to retirement. It's a time I've seen referred to as "preferment" -- a time when you can do the things you prefer, not the things you're required to do to keep food on the table and the lights on.
But as millions of us march closer to retiring every day, there's danger afoot, as was revealed in a recent Motley Fool research report on Americans' readiness for retirement. Here's a look at some of its findings -- which might help you figure out whether you will be ready for retirement when the time comes.
Millions are not ready for retirement
The Fool report starts out with this depressing news: "47% of working households are in danger of not having enough retirement savings, according to analysis from the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College." It added that, "The median retirement account value in 2023 was $87,000."
Those numbers seem to fit with the findings below, from the 2025 Retirement Confidence Survey: