Feeling ‘Amateur’ at Retirement Planning, They Asked A.I. for Help

Caitlyn Yingling had never looked closely at her 401(k) until a podcast prompted her to check. She discovered her target‑date fund was set for someone who would have retired in 2015, then used ChatGPT to move the date to 2060 and shift her allocation toward more stocks.

The chatbot also nudged her husband to review his account; Yingling said the interaction helped her feel less “amateur” and more willing to learn. Others are turning to chatbots for similarly high‑stakes choices. An August survey by Intuit Credit Karma of more than 1,000 people found nearly one‑third of generative A.I.

users sought help with saving for retirement, and a survey published last year by Empower reported about 47 percent now felt comfortable using A.I. in their financial lives. Advocates note the tools are easy to access, respond instantly and often do not charge fees—features that can fill gaps for people without traditional financial advice.

chatgpt, chatbots, generative ai, retirement planning, 401(k), target-date fund, asset allocation, financial advice, credit karma, empower