More than a third of Americans earning over $500,000 say they’re living paycheck to paycheck, Goldman Sachs finds

Would you feel financially secure earning $500,000 a year? A surprising share of Americans who actually make that much say they’re struggling to get ahead.

More than a third (36.6%) of respondents with household incomes above $500,000 say they primarily live paycheck to paycheck, according to Goldman Sachs Asset Management’s Retirement Survey and Insights Report 2026 .

That’s a higher share than any other income group except households earning less than $50,000, where 60.8% said the same.

The report’s first key finding sums up the broader problem: housing, healthcare, education, caregiving, and everyday costs have outpaced wage growth for decades, leaving households with less room to save.

“The challenge is no longer participation,” Goldman wrote.

“It is competing needs.” Prices are up, and paychecks haven’t kept pace That won’t surprise most Americans.

Consumer prices have climbed roughly 22% over the past five years, according to the U.S.

Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index .

Households are paying more for everything from groceries to healthcare to rent and mortgages.

Fuel has added to the pain: gasoline prices were up 27.4% year over year in August.

The typical household has more income to absorb those costs than it used to.

Median household income hit a record $87,460 in 2025, according to the Census Bureau .

But many families still say rising costs are squeezing both their monthly budgets and their long-term savings.

The strain is showing up even though the broader economy looks solid.