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AI for retirement planning can be a fast way to learn terms, explore questions, and prepare for a conversation, but it is not a substitute for a plan built on your actual numbers. The tools are improving quickly, yet they still make mistakes, and they can only work with the details you give them.
How Are People Using AI for Retirement Planning?
Mostly as a research assistant. A September 2026 Vanguard study of 6,686 of its investors found that about 32% have used AI for financial guidance. Use was highest among younger investors and lowest among baby boomers and older, at 15%. Most respondents used AI to learn, explore ideas, and prepare for conversations with professionals, not to make decisions for them.
How Accurate Is AI for Retirement Planning?
Accuracy is the biggest concern. In the same Vanguard research, 37% of AI users said they had received incorrect or misleading information, and another 44% were unsure. The report also noted that general-purpose AI tools do not carry a fiduciary duty and can produce confident-sounding errors.
Much of the problem starts with the question. If you ask about a whole life insurance policy when you actually own an indexed universal life policy, every answer that follows will describe the wrong product. AI responds to what you ask, not to what you meant. Garbage in, garbage out.
Bias is another consideration. AI models are trained on information that can reflect particular viewpoints, which matters during election seasons when headlines are already emotionally charged.
Why Does Retirement Timing Need More Than an AI Answer?
The retirement date you plan for may not be the one you get. Fidelity’s 2026 State of Retirement Planning study found that 72% of Americans expect to retire on their own terms. Yet the Employee Benefit Research Institute’s 2026 Retirement Confidence Survey found that most retirees stopped working before age 65, with a median retirement age of 62, and nearly half said they retired earlier than planned.
That gap is why Aul Financial Group, LLC encourages planning several years ahead. A Monte Carlo analysis, which tests a plan against thousands of possible market outcomes, can show whether retiring now is likely to hold up or whether two or three more working years would make a meaningful difference. Those conversations also require judgment about health, family, job security, and how you are likely to react when markets fall.
Where Is AI for Retirement Planning Most Useful?
Used well, AI is a strong starting point:
Aul Financial Group, LLC uses AI inside its own process, including meeting summaries that give clients a written recap of what was discussed and what happens next. The team reviews and corrects those summaries, because AI can still misattribute a comment or misspell a name. Technology also makes what-if scenarios faster. Changing an inflation assumption from 3% to 4%, or testing an extra $10,000 a year in spending, now takes minutes instead of an hour.
Why the Human Factor Still Matters
Markets tend to become more volatile as elections approach, and emotional decisions during those stretches can be costly. A person who knows your full plan can help separate headlines from the decisions that actually matter.
Investors appear to agree. Vanguard found that 74% want some form of human financial help over the next two to three years. Aul Financial Group, LLC views AI as a useful tool and a personalized plan as the foundation, with people providing the judgment that connects the two.
Insurance products are offered through the insurance business Aul Insurance Group, LLC. Aul Financial Group, LLC is an Investment Advisory practice that offers products and services through Impact Partnership Wealth, LLC (IPW), a Registered Investment Adviser. IPW does not offer insurance products. The insurance products offered by Aul Insurance Group, LLC are not subject to Investment Adviser requirements. Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal. Any references to protection, safety, or lifetime income generally refer to fixed insurance products, never securities or investments. Insurance guarantees are backed by the issuing carrier’s financial strength and claims-paying ability. Neither the firm nor its agents or representatives may give tax or legal advice. Individuals should consult with a qualified professional for guidance before making any purchasing decisions. Our firm is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Government or any governmental agency. This material is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment, tax, or legal advice. References to third-party research are provided for educational purposes and do not imply endorsement. Monte Carlo analysis is a hypothetical projection based on assumptions; results vary with each use and over time and are not guarantees of future results. 6017751-10/26
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