Americans may all want financial security, but what “security” means changes dramatically with age.
1. Gen Z Wants a Car
For Gen Z, major purchases are still about getting established. A 2026 AICPA/Harris Poll survey found 41% named saving for a car as their top financial goal for the year—the highest share for any generation on any single goal.
2. Millennials Want Experiences
Millennials were the generation most likely to name saving for a vacation, with 36% choosing it as their top financial goal. That puts experiences ahead of the traditional save-for-a-house narrative.
3. Gen X Wants Retirement Security
For Gen X, the clock is much louder. 46% said saving for retirement was their top financial goal in 2026, making it the clearest retirement-focused generation in the survey.
4. Boomers Want Less Debt
Baby Boomers are approaching money from a different direction. Their two leading goals were paying down debt and investing, with 33% selecting each. Their priorities are less about accumulating for the first time and more about protecting what they have.
5. Younger Generations Think About Money More
Empower’s August 2026 research found Gen Z spends an average of 4.82 hours a day thinking about money, compared with 4.73 hours for Millennials, 3.74 for Gen X and 2.4 for Boomers.
6. Almost Everyone Wants Financial Independence
Despite the differences, there’s a striking overlap: 92% of Americans said they had financial goals for 2026. Even Boomers, the least likely generation to report goals, came in at 86%.
