Dave Ramsey, Amerikalıların yaklaşık % 50 'sinin 1 büyük Sosyal Güvenlik hatası yaptığı konusunda uyardı: İşte 3 adımda nasıl düzeltileceği

Dave Ramsey warns nearly 50% of Americans make 1 big Social Security mistake — here's how to fix it in 3 steps

Moneywise

Tue, August 11, 2026 at 12:10 PM GMT+3 7 min read

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With over 30 years of fielding listener calls and cultivating a devoted audience, Dave Ramsey has become one of the rare experts truly in tune with the nation's financial heartbeat.

Ramsey's 2023 "Today's Retirement Crisis" study, based on a 2016 survey, highlights a surprising statistic — 42% of Americans are not currently saving for the future (1).

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"Even among savers, few are setting aside enough to afford a truly secure retirement. In fact, only one-in-10 Americans save 15% or more of their income — the amount industry experts recommend individuals set aside in order to build adequate savings — for retirement," according to the Ramsey Solutions study.

This "alarming" information could indicate that many people are facing dire retirement prospects.

Nearly 62% of retired Americans say Social Security is a "major source" of their retirement income, according to Gallup (2).

But these benefits are designed to replace just 40% of pre-retirement income. The estimated average monthly Social Security retirement benefit for 2026 is $2,071, which translates to an annual income of just over $24,852 (3) — much less than what a comfortable retirement would usually require.

Whether you're close to retirement or just planning ahead, here are the three steps you can take to start stitching together a safety net that can protect your golden years.

1. Create a saving benchmark

The first step for anyone looking to retire with a comfortable nest egg is to set a benchmark for minimum monthly savings to help secure your future.

As of June 2026, the U.S. personal savings rate was just 2.7%, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis (4). This is the ratio of personal savings to disposable personal income, and it is simply too low to fund a robust retirement. Ramsey recommends setting the benchmark significantly higher at 15% of gross income. This also assumes you already have an emergency fund and you're out of debt.

For example, a person earning $100,000 a year who manages to save 15% of their income and invests it in an asset that delivers 10% returns annually could accumulate roughly $1.5 million within 25 years. This means it's possible to retire as a millionaire even if you start saving and investing in your early 40s.

When the market shifts, investors of all stripes look for reliable and safe savings vehicles to cushion their nest egg. A high-yield account like a Wealthfront Cash Account can be a great place to grow your uninvested cash, offering both competitive interest rates and easy access to your money when you need it.

A Wealthfront Cash Account currently offers a base APY of 3.30% through program banks, and new clients can get an extra 0.75% boost during their first three months on up to $150,000 for a total variable APY of 4.05%.

That's 10 times the national deposit savings rate, according to the FDIC's June report.

Additionally, Wealthfront is offering new clients who enable direct deposit ($1,000/mo minimum) to their Cash Account and open and fund a new investment account an additional 0.25% APY increase with no expiration date or balance limit, meaning your APY could be as high as 4.30%.

With no minimum balances or account fees, as well as 24/7 withdrawals and free domestic wire transfers, your funds remain accessible at all times. Plus, you get access to up to $8M FDIC Insurance eligibility through program banks.

If you feel like you can't set aside enough of your income to invest each month, you can still make your purchases productive with Acorns.

Every time you make a purchase on your credit or debit card, Acorns automatically rounds it up to the nearest dollar, then puts your spare change into a smart investment portfolio for you.

The best part? When you sign up with a recurring deposit, Acorns provides a $20 bonus investment to kickstart your investment journey.

Read More: Millionaires under 43 hold only 25% of their wealth in stocks. Here's where their money is actually going

2. Max out tax-advantaged accounts

Reducing your tax liability could be just as important as maxing out your savings rate. Every penny saved in taxes is another penny that can be used to invest and compound your wealth over time.

For most people, the best way to mitigate taxes is to utilize tax-advantaged accounts like 401(k)s and Roth IRAs.

Unfortunately, many people neglect these accounts. About 40% of Americans don't have a retirement savings account, according to a 2025 survey by Gallup (5).

As of year-end 2025, the average participant account balance was $167,970, while the median balance was just $44,115, according to Vanguard (6).

None of these balances is close enough to the estimated $1.26 million an average American needs to comfortably retire. But raising your contributions and maxing out these accounts can help you get ahead of your peers.

Another option to fund your retirement is investing directly in precious metals.

Gold IRAs allow investors to hold physical gold or gold-related assets within a retirement account, combining the tax advantages of an IRA with the protective benefits of investing in gold. This can make it an attractive option for those looking to potentially hedge their retirement funds against economic uncertainty.

Opening a gold IRA with the help of Goldco allows you to invest in gold and other precious metals in physical forms while also providing the significant tax advantages of an IRA.

With a minimum purchase of $10,000, Goldco offers free shipping and access to a library of retirement resources. Plus, the company will match up to 10% of qualified purchases in free silver.

If you're curious whether this is the right investment to diversify your portfolio, you can download your free gold and silver information guide today.

3. Go beyond the bare minimum

Saving 15% of your gross income and maximizing your tax-advantaged accounts are the bare minimum for a comfortable retirement, according to Ramsey. However, if you're looking to retire sooner, want a better lifestyle in retirement or simply waited too long to get started you may need to go beyond this minimum threshold.

Investing in real estate by purchasing rental properties and becoming a landlord is one way to augment your income. But for the average American who wants to avoid the need for a hefty down payment or the burden of property management, crowdfunding platforms like Arrived make it easier to slice yourself up a piece of that pie.

Backed by world class investors like Jeff Bezos, Arrived allows you to invest in shares of rental homes with as little as $100, all without the hassle of mowing lawns, fixing leaky faucets or handling difficult tenants.

The process is simple: Browse a curated selection of homes that have been vetted for their appreciation and income potential. Once you find a property you like, select the number of shares you'd like to purchase, and then sit back as you start receiving any positive rental income distributions from your investment.

Finally, it can't hurt to cover your bases by regularly re-negotiating your salary, or looking for a lateral career change that can earn you more.

Regardless of your current financial situation, there are usually a few ways to make improvements and boost your chances of a successful retirement —- from investing to budgeting best practices.

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Article sources

We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.

Ramsey Solutions (); Gallup () (); Social Security Administration (); Bureau of Economic Analysis (); Vanguard ();

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.