Fidelity says average 401(k) balances surged 11% to a record $155K in Q2 — why some savers are falling behind

If you have a workplace retirement savings account, then you might be happy to hear that — despite market fluctuations, fears of an AI bubble and an uncertain economy — account balances have reached record highs.

That's according to Fidelity's Q2 2026 retirement analysis, which shows that retirement savings benefitted from a strong stock market after a slight drop in returns in the first quarter of this year, with 401(k) and 403(b) plans rebounding to new levels.

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But are you seeing the same results in your account? If not, here's why and what you can do about it.

About one in three workers are feeling positive about their personal finances — and that's, in part, due to a strong stock market that's giving their retirement savings a nice boost. Overall retirement account averages for 401(k) balances stood at $155,800, up nearly 11% from Q1 and 403(b) balances stood at $145,000, up 12%, according to Fidelity. Individual retirement accounts also grew 10% over the period.

The findings come as more than half of workers surveyed (55%) say that they are extremely or very concerned about the economy — due to factors such as the rising cost of living, the geopolitical environment and job security, Fidelity said.

But what if your account isn't keeping up? There are a few reasons why some savers might be seeing more impressive gains than others — and there's more to it than economic conditions.

"Economic conditions and plan design may have an impact on workers' retirement savings, but savings behavior also plays a role in helping workers progress toward their retirement goals," Fidelity said .

For example, Fidelity found that total average savings rates held at 14.4% for 401(k) savers in Q2 and 12% for 403(b) savers. It also noted that 81% of 401(k) participants were saving enough from their paychecks to receive their employer's full matching contribution.

And, while IRA holders don't get the benefit of employer matching, Fidelity's data showed they increased their contributions by 36% compared to the previous year.

Bottomline, it comes as no surprise that your return rate depends somewhat on how much you can invest.