2 out 3 millionaires in the US don’t consider themselves rich — here are the 3 things that America’s wealthy worry about the most. Can you relate?

How taxes impact retirement

For wealthy Americans, their No. 1 retirement concern isn't whether they'll have enough money to retire comfortably or have enough cash to last for life. Instead, Northwestern Mutual reveals their top fear is how taxes are likely to impact their retirement.

Concerns about taxation have prompted 61% of millionaires to create a plan to reduce the share of their retirement savings going to the IRS. These plans include strategic withdrawals, using a mix of traditional and Roth accounts, and claiming tax breaks for charitable deductions.

For Americans who are living on less, obviously running short of money is a more pressing concern than future tax bills. Still, even lower and middle-income individuals should consider how their retirement income will be affected by taxation.

The Senior Citizens League reports around half of all households now face taxes on Social Security benefits. Many older Americans whose income comes primarily from 401(k)s, IRAs or other accounts with taxable withdrawals could easily find themselves among this group. Taxes on withdrawals from these accounts will also cut into the amount of money they have to spend.

Making a strategic tax plan by borrowing the techniques of the rich and choosing a good mix of tax-advantaged accounts is a smart move no matter how big your bank account.

Discover how a simple decision today could lead to an extra $1.3 million in retirement

Learn how you can set yourself up for a more prosperous future by exploring why so many people who work with financial advisors retire with more wealth.

Discover the full story and see how you could be on the path to an extra $1.3 million in retirement.

Read More

The political environment

With an upcoming election in the United States, many wealthy people are naturally concerned about what's going on in the world. In fact the Edelman research revealed that the political environment is a top concern among the affluent.

Worrying about politics is understandable as there's been a great deal of societal upheaval in recent years. Decisions about who holds political office can also impact every area of your life, from healthcare options to how much you pay in taxes, to what benefits are available to you.

It's not just the wealthy who must keep an eye on these issues either. In fact, lower- and middle-income Americans may find their lives even more profoundly impacted by policies that lead to inflation; by cuts to benefits and services they rely on; or by tax changes that affect their take-home income.

Politics can also have global implications, and Edelman found many wealthy Americans also have concerns about international conflicts.

The best way to minimize these fears is to pay attention to the news, to vote, and to volunteer for political organizations if you feel strongly that any particular politician may pass legislation that makes a meaningful difference to your life.

Inflation

Finally, inflation is another leading concern for rich Americans, according to Edelman's research. This also isn't a surprise, given that Americans have seen some of the highest inflation levels in years.

The Federal Reserve targets a 2% inflation rate, but here's how much prices actually rose year-over-year during the last few years:

• 2023: 4.1%
• 2022: 8%
• 2021: 4.7%

This long period of rising prices have left many struggling, and have even wealthy people worried about how much buying power they're losing.

For those with inflation concerns, the best and only option is to aim to have the right mix of investments, including a good amount of money in equities. If you can grow your wealth enough to outpace inflation with strategic investments, you won't lose ground.

Other than inflation, these three fears likely don't top the list of concerns that lower- and middle-income Americans have. Still, they are things every American should think about, so it's worth taking steps to try to minimize these risks to build the most secure financial future possible — especially if you don't have millions in the bank to fall back on. .