If the very mention of the phrase “retirement planning” makes you shudder, you’re definitely not alone—2026 survey data from the National Institute on Retirement Security says somewhere between 40 and 55 percent of Americans feel unprepared for or lack confidence in having stability in their retirement years. Another survey says 47% of America’s workers believe they’ll never be able to fully retire.
It’s safe to say we as a nation can do a lot better setting our employees up for retirement success. A part of that may be improving how we educate people on retirement planning and what all it entails. Cue Dr. Jesse Jurgenson, an Assistant Professor of Practice within the Texas Tech University School of Financial Planning. He formerly spent three years teaching at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa as a personal finance pro before heading to Lubbock. While his research dives into personal finance habits for all ages, he’s specifically interested in how those decisions change throughout the course of life, making him the go-to for our 2-part conversation on retirement.
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