Suze Orman: 41% Delay Care, 1 in 4 Use Retirement Funds
Suze Orman reports that 41% of workers delay medical care during emergencies, and one in four dip into retirement savings to cover unexpected costs. A SecureSave survey of over 1,000 Americans aged 18 to 65 in June revealed that 25% have no emergency fund and 67% have less than three months of expenses saved.
Suze Orman reports that 41% of workers delay medical care during emergencies, and one in four dip into retirement savings to cover unexpected costs. A SecureSave survey of over 1,000 Americans aged 18 to 65 in June revealed that 25% have no emergency fund and 67% have less than three months of expenses saved.
Emergency Savings Gap
The survey, conducted by SecureSave, found that 25% of respondents have no emergency fund at all, while 67% have less than three months’ worth of expenses set aside. Even more striking, 45% have less than a month’s expenses saved. These figures echo a 2025 Empower survey that reported a median emergency savings balance of $500.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Delay medical care | 41% |
| Use retirement savings | 25% |
| No emergency fund | 25% |
| <3 months saved | 67% |
| <1 month saved | 45% |
| Skipped work | 38% |
| Employers offering plans | 77% |
The lack of savings forces many workers to choose between essentials such as food and car repairs, and a growing number are turning to credit cards to stay afloat. Orman notes that some workers fear they may never retire because the debt snowball effect spirals out of control.
Employer-Sponsored Plans
Employers are stepping in to address the crisis. According to a 2026 CAPTRUST survey, three in four workers say financial worries affect their job motivation, and 38% of SecureSave respondents admitted to skipping work because of money problems. The resulting loss of productivity costs the U.S. $183 billion annually, according to a 2025 Fidelity report.
In response, 77% of employers have either implemented or plan to offer emergency savings plans. Craig Copeland, director of Wealth Benefits Research at the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI), explains that some firms link these plans to workplace retirement accounts under the SECURE 2.0 Act. Features include:
- Emergency loans or penalty-free withdrawals of up to $1,000 from 401(k) plans.
- Pension-linked emergency savings accounts (PLESAs) for workers earning $150,000 or less, allowing after-tax contributions up to $2,500. Contributions beyond that amount roll into the retirement plan.
Copeland cautions that PLESAs are complex, with payroll administrators required to track the $2,500 limit for each employee. He also notes that $2,500 is often insufficient for major repairs, such as roof or engine replacements.
Delta Air Lines offers a model program. Delta’s global retirement and financial wellness manager, Josh Jessup, launched an emergency savings plan in partnership with Fidelity in 2023. The program provides a $750 employer top-up and up to a $250 match on employee contributions, for a total employer contribution of $1,000. Employees also receive a financial education course and one-on-one coaching.
Many other firms partner with companies like BlackRock, Fidelity, SecureSave, SoFi and Sunny Day to automate paycheck deductions into emergency accounts.
Policy and Incentives
Bipartisan lawmakers are working to improve the PLESA framework with the proposed Emergency Savings Enhancement Act, which would raise the emergency savings limit to $5,000. Orman emphasizes that an emergency fund should be separate from retirement savings, though she acknowledges that catastrophic situations may force workers to dip into retirement accounts.
For more on how these savings trends impact team performance, see our stats and fixtures.
