The 2026 snapshot
Taiwan Life’s 2026 retirement survey reported three headline scores on a 100-point scale:
- retirement satisfaction: 70
- retirement confidence: 57
- perceived retirement adequacy: 59
The reported financial-literacy score was 55.95. These values describe survey responses; they are not measures of whether a household has enough assets to retire.
How confidence has moved
Published survey releases show retirement confidence at 63 in 2022, 61.3 in 2023, 56 in 2024, 55 in 2025 and 57 in 2026. The latest result is a small rebound, but it remains below the 2022 result.
The series needs a caveat. The 2022 release surveyed 1,201 people aged 25 and over, while the 2026 release surveyed 1,300 people aged 20 and over online. Questionnaire and sample differences mean the annual values should be read as repeated snapshots, not changes experienced by the same people.
What respondents said they use
In 2026, 72.8% said they relied on self-funded preparation for retirement. The financial tools named included:
| Tool | Share of respondents |
|---|---|
| Stocks | 58.8% |
| New Taiwan dollar deposits | 57.6% |
| ETFs | 50.5% |
| Insurance | 32.8% |
The question allowed people to report multiple tools. These percentages therefore do not add to 100% and should not be interpreted as portfolio allocations.
What the survey can and cannot tell us
The releases are useful for tracking public sentiment and reported preparation methods. They do not prove why confidence moved. Market returns, inflation, housing costs, family obligations and changes in the sample can all affect the result.
For an individual retirement plan, the practical questions are cash-flow based: expected annual spending, reliable income, investable assets, debt and the number of years the plan must cover. A sentiment score can frame the public mood, but it cannot replace that calculation.
Sources
Sources: Taiwan Life retirement attitude surveys. Survey populations and questionnaires vary by year, so changes should be read as directional rather than as a continuous panel.
This is an English reference adaptation of original Chinese research onjoelin.cc.