Education to empowerment: What retirement participants are telling us about the future of financial wellness

Retirement readiness is evolving—and credit union leaders have an opportunity to rethink what meaningful participant engagement looks like in the years ahead.

For decades, the retirement industry focused heavily on education: providing workshops, calculators and education materials designed to help participants make informed decisions. Those efforts helped increase awareness, but findings from the TruStage^® 2025 Participant Retirement Education Survey suggest awareness isn’t enough for effective retirement planning or stronger retirement savings outcomes.

Today’s participants are asking for something deeper.

They want guidance that feels relevant to their situation, reducing complexity instead of adding to it. And more importantly, they want to feel confident—confident that they are making the right decisions, taking the right actions and moving toward financial security.

This shift creates both a challenge and a strategic opportunity as confidence increasingly appears to be the missing link between education and action. Credit unions that can help participants move from simply understanding retirement concepts to feeling empowered to act may be better positioned to strengthen engagement, improve outcomes and reinforce long-term trust.

One of the clearest insights from the survey is that many participants still feel uncertain about their retirement readiness, even after years of increased access to financial education.

The numbers are telling:¹

That contrast reveals an important reality: Access to information is not necessarily translating into confidence.

Participants are not lacking in resources. In many cases, they are overwhelmed by complexity, unsure how generalized information applies to their specific situation, or hesitant to make decisions they fear could have long-term consequences—including how much to save for retirement and which retirement savings steps to prioritize.

For credit union leaders, this signals a broader shift. Retirement readiness is no longer an educational challenge—it is increasingly a behavioral and emotional one.

This distinction matters because behavior drives outcomes.

Participants who feel uncertain are more likely to delay decisions, contribute less, or disengage altogether. Over time, hesitation can compound into lower retirement preparedness and reduced financial resilience.

The survey reinforces another trend reshaping financial services: the expectation for personalization.

Consumers interact daily with digital experiences tailored specifically to their preferences, behaviors, and needs. They expect experiences that feel intuitive and individually relevant.

Retirement planning is no exception.

According to the survey:¹

Those efforts helped increase awareness, but new survey findings suggest awareness alone isn’t enough for effective retirement planning or stronger retirement savings outcomes.

They want to know:

When retirement guidance becomes more personalized, planning begins to feel more manageable. Complexity is reduced. Confidence grows. Decision-making becomes more actionable.

For credit unions, the future of retirement engagement may not be about creating more content—it may be about creating more relevant experiences. Boards and executive teams may increasingly need to look at personalization as a strategic capability tied directly to financial wellness, member satisfaction and institutional relevance.

The survey findings highlight a transformation in how participants consume and engage with financial education.

Participants increasingly expect flexibility in both format and channel:¹

Participants want financial education delivered in ways that are convenient, accessible, and easy to engage with on their own terms.

This creates an important leadership consideration for credit unions: Accessibility is becoming a core component of engagement strategy.

Even the most sophisticated educational content may fail to drive action if participants aren’t engaging with it. Conversely, organizations that create multiple pathways to engagement may be better positioned to reach participants consistently throughout their financial journey.

The broader lesson is clear: Retirement readiness is no longer just about what information is delivered. It is also about how, when, and where participants experience it.

Another important takeaway from the survey is that retirement planning can no longer be viewed separately from broader financial wellness concerns.

Participants today are navigating competing financial priorities:

Against that backdrop, retirement planning can easily feel distant or deprioritized.

This is where confidence becomes especially important. Participants who feel more in control of their financial future are often more likely to engage proactively, maintain healthier savings behaviors, and seek additional financial guidance.

For credit unions, this creates an opportunity to strengthen their role as a trusted financial partner by building long-term trust that connects retirement planning to broader life goals.

Importantly, this aligns closely with the foundational mission of credit unions: improving the financial well-being of the people and communities they serve.

Traditional retirement metrics—participation rates, contribution percentages, and asset accumulation—are still important. But they may not fully capture whether participants actually feel prepared and empowered.

Confidence, engagement and financial readiness indicators may become increasingly valuable measures of long-term success.

Participants consistently indicate they value clarity and actionable guidance. Institutions that can simplify and personalize retirement planning may be better positioned to drive engagement and trust.

The most effective strategies may not be the most sophisticated, but they may be the clearest.

Members today expect flexibility, personalization, and digital accessibility. Engagement strategies that reflect those expectations may help improve both participation and long-term financial outcomes.

Retirement readiness is ultimately about helping people feel more secure about their future. Credit unions that approach retirement engagement through a broader financial wellness lens may strengthen member relationships in ways that go beyond retirement plans.

The findings from the 2025 Participant Retirement Education Survey suggest that the retirement industry is entering a new phase. It’s going beyond education to helping participants feel confident to act on what they know.

Confidence, personalization, accessibility, and simplicity are increasingly becoming the drivers of meaningful engagement. For credit unions, adapting to these expectations may help create stronger retirement outcomes while reinforcing the trust-centered relationships that have always defined the movement.

The opportunity ahead is not just to educate participants—but to empower them.

Learn more about how participant expectations are evolving and explore strategies designed to support retirement readiness.

¹TruStage. Participant Retirement Education Survey. 2025.

TruStage^® is the marketing name for TruStage Financial Group, Inc. its subsidiaries and affiliates. CPI Qualified Plan Consultants, Inc. and CMFG Life Insurance Company are subsidiaries of TruStage Financial Group. Annuity insurance products are issued by CMFG Life Insurance Company, located in Waverly, Iowa. Each insurer is solely responsible for the financial obligations under the policies and contracts it issues. All contracts and forms may vary by state and may not be available in all states or through all broker/dealers.

Securities distributed by CUNA Brokerage Services, Inc. (CBSI), Member FINRA/SIPC, a registered broker/dealer, 2000 Heritage Way, Waverly, Iowa 50677, toll-free 866.512.6109. CBSI is a limited business broker/dealer (Member FINRA/SIPC), a fully owned subsidiary of TruStage Financial Group, Inc. Non-deposit investment and insurance products are not federally insured, involve investment risk, may lose value, and are not obligations of or guaranteed by the financial institution. Representatives offer retirement and investment education but do not provide investment, legal or tax advice. Participants are encouraged to consult their financial professional.

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