Americans’ retirement account balances climbed to record highs in the second quarter of 2026, a recent report shows.
The average 401(k) balance rose to a record $155,800 in the second quarter, up 10.5 percent from the previous quarter and 13.1 percent from a year earlier, according to Fidelity Investments’ retirement analysis.
It was the strongest quarterly increase since the fourth quarter of 2020.
“After a slight drop in the first quarter of 2026, the average 401(k) and 403(b) account balances rebounded to record levels in Q2 2026,” Fidelity said on Sep. 3.
Balances in other types of retirement accounts also reached new highs.
The average 403(b) balance climbed to $145,000, up 12 percent from the first quarter and 16 percent from a year earlier. The average individual retirement account balance rose to $144,523, a 10 percent increase both quarter over quarter and year over year….