Why “I’ll Deal With It Later” Is So Common in Retirement Planning

Key Takeaways:

1. Retirement planning is often delayed because it doesn’t feel urgent and lacks immediate feedback.

   
   

2. Putting things off can limit flexibility over time, regardless of where you are in your career.

   
   

3. Educational tools, like a hypothetical Income Needs Analysis, can help provide clarity and make it easier to take a first step.

Retirement planning is rarely ignored on purpose. Most people know it matters, but it often gets pushed to the bottom of the to-do list. Bills, work deadlines, family needs, and everyday responsibilities feel more urgent, while retirement can feel distant or abstract. Still, the numbers show how common it is to delay: about 35% of U.S. adults have postponed or expect to postpone retirement [1], nearly one in four pre-retirees over 50 (23%) are delaying retirement [2], and more than half (57%) of American workers feel behind on their savings goals [3]. Alarmingly, between 20% and 46% of Americans also report having no retirement savings [4].

That tendency to delay isn’t a personal failure. It’s a very human response to how retirement planning works. When progress feels slow, outcomes feel far away, and uncertainty is high, it’s easy to keep saying, “I’ll deal with it later,” even as retirement slowly moves closer.

Why Long-Term Planning Is Easy to Postpone

People naturally prioritize what feels immediate. A missed bill or an unexpected expense demands attention right now. Retirement, on the other hand, doesn’t usually create daily reminders.

Unlike many financial decisions, retirement planning lacks immediate feedback. Contributing a little more—or not—doesn’t change much tomorrow. Reviewing investments doesn’t instantly feel rewarding. Because the impact is long-term, it’s easy to believe there’s always time to revisit it later.

For many, uncertainty adds another layer. Market headlines, changing rules, or fear of making the “wrong” decision can cause people to pause rather than act. Doing nothing can feel safer than doing something imperfect.

How Procrastination Shows Up at Different Stages of Life

While the habit of postponing is common, it often looks different depending on where someone is in their career and how close they may be to retiring.

Earlier in Your Career

For younger individuals, retirement may feel far away, something future you will handle. Income may be tighter, goals may feel less clear, and retirement contributions may seem small compared to other priorities.

The challenge is that early decisions often shape flexibility later. Even modest contributions can establish a habit of saving and create more options over time. Waiting doesn’t mean failure, but it can limit choices down the road.

Mid-Career and Approaching Retirement

For those closer to retirement, procrastination often shifts from starting to reviewing. Contribution rates, investment allocations, and beneficiaries may not be revisited as life circumstances change.

At this stage, avoidance is often driven by uncertainty:

• Am I on track?

• Should I be doing something differently?

• What if I uncover a gap I can’t fix?

Those questions can feel uncomfortable, but ignoring them doesn’t make them go away.

The Cost of “Later” Isn’t Always Obvious

Procrastination doesn’t usually cause immediate problems. That’s why it’s so easy to maintain.

Over time, however, delaying reviews or adjustments can mean:

• Missed opportunities to increase contributions when income changes

• Investment allocations that no longer reflect personal comfort or timelines

• Beneficiary designations that don’t align with current intentions

• Less time to adjust expectations or strategies as retirement approaches

None of these issues happen overnight. They build quietly, often unnoticed until someone finally takes a closer look.

If you’re wondering how delays in retirement may apply to your own situation, reviewing a simple checklist can help bring clarity. Our free, downloadable Are You Retirement Ready? Checklist walks through key questions, covering areas like income planning, healthcare, longevity, and investment confidence. It’s designed to help you better understand what retirement readiness involves and where you currently stand, without pressure to take action right away.

Why Starting Earlier Often Creates More Flexibility

Taking action earlier doesn’t require perfection or large changes. In many cases, it simply means getting familiar with your plan and making intentional choices over time. For example, our article on Building a Retirement Investment Portfolio walks through how aligning your goals, risk tolerance, and investment capacity can help you make informed decisions and feel more confident about your retirement plan. Early engagement also means fewer last-minute decisions as retirement approaches, along with:

• More time to make gradual adjustments

• Greater flexibility if goals or circumstances change

• A clearer understanding of how your plan works

While that thought process is good for those early in their careers, let’s not forget about those who have been at this for a while. For those already nearing retirement, it’s not about hitting a perfect target. It's more about understanding where you are now and what options are available moving forward. One reason retirement planning gets delayed is the belief that it requires a complete overhaul. In reality, progress often starts with small, manageable steps, such as:

• Reviewing your contribution rate

• Checking your investment mix

• Confirming beneficiary information

• Asking questions to better understand your plan

Ultimately, timing plays a meaningful role in retirement planning, and the example below provides a simplified illustration of how starting earlier can affect long-term outcomes.

The table below shows a hypothetical comparison of retirement outcomes based on different starting ages, all using the same assumptions and retiring at age 67. The illustration assumes a $60,000 starting salary growing at 3% annually, total contributions of 10% of pay (6% employee and 4% employer), and a hypothetical annual return of 6%, with consistent contributions throughout the period shown.

*This table is for illustrative and educational purposes only and is not intended to represent the performance of any specific investment or retirement account. This example is intended to highlight how the timing of contributions affects total savings effort.

While the numbers may vary based on individual circumstances, the takeaway is consistent: starting earlier allows contributions to accumulate over a longer period of time, which can create more flexibility as retirement approaches. Waiting to begin often means having fewer years to contribute and adjust, which can limit options later on. Reviewing where you are today, regardless of age, can help clarify what steps, if any, may make sense going forward

Moving Forward, One Step at a Time

“I’ll deal with it later” is a common reaction, but later has a way of arriving faster than expected. Whether retirement feels far away or right around the corner, understanding your plan today can help you make more informed decisions over time.

Our RetireAdvisers℠ team can help. Our Income Needs Analysis allows you to explore how your savings habits, plan fees, and estimated expenses may interact over time. It’s a practical way to move from “I’ll deal with it later” to a clearer understanding of your retirement plan.

Want to learn more? Reach out to our retirement experts today to get started.

The concepts expressed herein represent the views and opinions of Pension Consultants, Inc., and are not intended as legal, tax, or investment advice for any specific individual, account, or plan.

Source(s):

[1] Press Release. “More than 1/3 of Adults Delaying Retirement.” Insurance News | InsuranceNewsNet, 10 Sept. 2025, insurancenewsnet.com/oarticle/more-than-1-3-of-adults-delaying-retirement.

[2] Cunningham, Mary. “Nearly 1 in 4 Americans over 50 Are Delaying Retirement due to Economic Concerns, Survey Finds.” Cbsnews.com, 17 July 2025, www.cbsnews.com/news/retirement-delay-social-security-benefits-gen-x-over-50/.

[3] Gillespie, Lane. “Survey: 56% of Americans Feel behind on Saving for Retirement.” Bankrate, 25 Sept. 2024, www.bankrate.com/retirement/retirement-savings-survey/.

[4] Liberto, Daniel. “Alarming Figures Reveal How Many Americans Lack Any Retirement Savings.” Investopedia, 10 Sept. 2025, www.investopedia.com/americans-with-no-retirement-savings-11804319.