More Investors Shift Focus Back to Long-Term Planning

Research from Betterment finds investors may be shifting their attention back to retirement planning and emergency savings
Betterment retirement planning
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Seeking long-term stability in their portfolios, more investors are renewing their attention back to retirement planning, finds new Betterment research.

The new survey by the financial advisory company found 43% of respondents in its study of 1,200 retail investors marked retirement savings as their top goal, and 41% indicated that increasing their long-term savings is a top priority.

Across all generations, 78% of investors hold an emergency fund, up from 59% and 66% in 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Betterment’s findings signal a shift back to longer-term planning, after a period that saw investors prioritize short-term spending due to the pandemic’s impacts and economic environment. When asked about their top three investing priorities over the next 12 months, 17% of investors ranked saving for retirement as number one, while 15% said “making money last in retirement” was their goal, and 14% placed long-term savings as their top priority.

Other leading priorities included reducing spending (12%), protecting against losses (10%), maximizing returns (9%), beating inflation (9%), saving for a big purchase or milestone (7%), values-based investing (4%), and experimenting with new investment vehicles (3%).

“It’s encouraging after a period of uncertainty to see a rise in optimism and a steady focus on long-term financial planning,” said Mike Reust, president of Betterment, in a statement.

Optimism by demographics

Overall, the financial outlook for a growing number of younger investors isn’t as negative as last year, reported Betterment research. Over half (59%) of all investors surveyed said their personal financial outlook for 2023 is positive, with 24% of that group adding that it is “very positive.”

Millennials and Gen Zers reported higher levels of optimism, at 73% and 67%, respectively, compared to their Gen X (43%) and Baby Boomer counterparts (17%). Their optimism could be attributed to portfolio performance, found Betterment research, as younger groups were likelier to perform better on their investments. Sixty-four percent of Millennials reported seeing positive change in their returns, compared to 50% of Gen Zers, 39% of Gen Xers, and 19% of Boomers.

“In general, headlines often drive investor sentiment, but our survey shows there is a contrast between how the market is doing and how investors are feeling,” added Dan Egan, head of behavioral finance at Betterment, in the research. “It’s hard to say exactly what’s driving this split, but when it comes to how younger generations perceive their financial performance, a few things could be at play: younger people often focus on nominal changes and are more likely to be in higher-risk investments (which are performing relatively well right now). What’s more, they aren’t ‘feeling’ inflation quite as much as older generations (pre-retiree, retirees), who are in bond-heavy portfolios that have taken a beating, and are concerned with retirement sustainability and inflation.”

Men were also likelier to feel optimistic over their financial future (54%) compared to women (46%).

Across all demographics, those who reported feeling better about their finances were likelier to work with a financial advisor (67%), compared to those who do not (43%).

Younger generations dip into retirement accounts

Despite the optimism, Betterment research found Millennial and Gen Z investors were likelier to withdraw money from their retirement accounts than Gen Xers. While 40% of Boomers withdrew retirement funds, Gen Z and Milennials were a close second and third (30% and 27%, respectively), compared to 16% of Gen Xers.

Overall, 26% of respondents said they withdrew from their retirement account in 2022, while 63% have not altered their retirement planning approach in the last 12 months.  

“This trend among younger generations may indicate that these investors lack stability in retirement planning [versus their predecessors] or don’t fully understand the penalties for withdrawing early,” said Kristen Carlisle, general manager of Betterment at Work, in the research. “We recommend that younger investors avoid dipping into their retirement funds whenever possible, and prioritize building up emergency funds so that they have other resources to tap into.”

Interest in ESG investing

Betterment research examined investors’ familiarity with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing, finding that 60% of respondents indicated being “somewhat” or “very familiar” with sustainability, compared to 45% in Betterment’s 2022 ESG survey.

Younger investors were likelier to be at least somewhat familiar with ESG, at 75%, compared to later generations at 52%.

Whether it’s a matter of curiosity or availability, Betterment research suggests interest in sustainable investments may be falling short, with only 17% of respondents currently invested in ESG. Of those not interest in ESG investments, 29% said they do not know what the investment is, 28% said they don’t think ESG should have a role in investing, and 24% said they don’t believe it will have an impact on investments.

Twenty-two percent of investors who have not sought ESG out indicated an interest in the investment, and 34% of Millennials were most likely to remain invested in ESG compared to 15% of Gen Zers, 14% of Gen Xers, and 4% of Boomers.

“The interest from those who haven’t yet explored ESG options signals that far more adoption of sustainable investing can be reached through education,” added Boris Khentov, SVP of product strategy and sustainable investing at Betterment, in the research. “At Betterment, we’re committed to closing the knowledge gap and driving awareness of ESG investment offerings and what potential benefits they bring to values-based investors.”

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Amanda Umpierrez
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Amanda Umpierrez is the Managing Editor of 401(k) Specialist magazine. She is a financial services reporter with over six years of experience and a passion for telling stories and reporting news. Amanda received her degree in journalism and government and politics at St. John’s University. She is originally from Queens, New York, but now resides in Denver, Colorado with her partner. In her free time, Amanda enjoys running, cooking, and watching the latest drama show.

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