I Asked ChatGPT How To Catch Up on Retirement Fast in 2026 — Here’s Its Plan

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With less than half of Americans on track for retirement, according to the latest Vanguard Retirement Outlook, many people feel the need to catch up. Much of the advice online can feel too generic, and manually scouring sources is time-consuming.

That’s where ChatGPT comes in. The artificial intelligence tool can quickly scan the internet for recommendations geared to specific ages, income levels and more, giving you a better idea of what might work for you. Here’s what it said.

The Classic Catch-Up Contributions

When you use the phrase “catch up” in connection with retirement, ChatGPT immediately recommends catch-up contributions — the amount the IRS allows over the maximum for savers over 50.

For individual retirement accounts, better known as IRAs, the IRS has increased the catch-up contribution limit to $1,100 for the 2026 tax year. Add that to the higher standard contribution limit of $7,500, and savers over 50 can contribute up to $8,600 for the year. 

Limits are higher for 401(k), 403(b) and other defined contribution plans. The standard contribution limit for 2026 is $24,500, not including an optional catch-up limit of $8,000. That’s a potential $32,500 in retirement savings for age-eligible savers. 

Employees ages 60 to 63 may have access to a “super catch-up” option, which adds $11,250 to the standard limit of $24,500 — $35,750 for the year. Not all employers offer this, so you’ll want to check before counting on it.

What If You’re Under 50?

Even if you’re not eligible for the “catch-up” contributions, you can still work toward closing the retirement gap. ChatGPT recommends maxing out your tax-advantaged retirement accounts, such as IRAs and 401(k) plans.  

Maximizing Tax-Advantaged Accounts

Tax-advantaged means one of the following:

• Tax-deferred: You contribute pretax earnings and pay income tax on withdrawals in retirement.
• Tax-exempt: You contribute earnings after paying income tax, but retirement withdrawals are tax-free.

ChatGPT claims that funds in these types of accounts grow “much faster” than in taxable savings accounts. That’s partially true because you have to pay taxes on interest you earn from securities and investment funds. The money you pay in taxes isn’t available to invest and grow, but the growth rate itself isn’t automatically higher for tax-advantaged accounts.

Earning More To Invest More

According to ChatGPT, increasing your income and putting the difference toward retirement is “the fastest way to catch up.” The artificial intelligence tool suggests allocating the full amount of your raise to retirement for the first 12 months after you get one. That applies whether you earn more at your current job, take on another or switch to something that pays more.

If you’ve maxed out your 401(k) or IRA, ChatGPT said you can put the rest into a taxable brokerage account. These have no contribution limits, and you can choose an aggressive or conservative strategy based on your risk tolerance.

Change Your Risk Allocation Based on Your Age

In general, ChatGPT recommends placing more money in stocks versus bonds: between 75% and 90% for someone who is “catching up” compared to someone who is “on track.”

Stocks have greater growth potential, which means you can catch up more quickly if your stocks succeed. Bonds tend to have a comparatively lower yield, but they’re more stable, which is why older retirement savers may prefer bonds. 

You might allocate more to stocks if you’re catching up, but it’s still worth considering stability. A big loss can be more damaging in your 50s than it would be in your 30s. Here’s the rough guide that ChatGPT provided:

ChatGPT explicitly noted that this is not personalized advice. It’s a large language model, not an investment adviser. 

What If You Earn Below $80K?

If you earn less than the median national income — $83,730, according to the U.S. Census Bureau — your catch-up strategy may look different. When asked how to catch up at incomes ranging from $50,000 to $80,000 a year, ChatGPT recommended five steps:

• Investing 15% to 25% of your income, or $6,000 to $12,000 a year
• Maximizing your employer match
• Contributing to an IRA
• Controlling core expenses, including housing and transportation
• Investing more in stocks versus bonds or cash, particularly if you’re younger

Building a side income or landing a higher-paying job can also make a big difference. In any case, the more effectively you can use your retirement accounts, the better.

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