Tony Robbins blasts average approach to Social Security — says it’s ‘time to get your head out of the sand.’ Are you making this retirement mistake?

Here’s why Robbins encourages people to look beyond this safety net, and why a growing number of working-age Americans are already leaning toward alternative strategies.

Social Security isn’t nearly enough

For most Americans over the age of 65, an average monthly Social Security benefit of $2,000 isn’t enough (2). Data from the Consumer Expenditure Surveys program shows that retired households spend over double that amount every month (3).

Keep in mind that Social Security was never meant to be the sole source of retirement funds — it’s only designed to replace about 40% of pre-retirement income, according to the National Council on Aging (4).

The program’s sustainability is also in doubt, meaning future retirees could potentially see even lower benefits. Trust fund assets are expected to be depleted by 2033, according to the Social Security Administration (5), while the Trump administration’s tax cuts could deplete the funds even sooner — by 2032 — according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (6).

In other words, Social Security might not be a solid foundation for your retirement plan.

“Time to get your head out of the sand and do some easy number crunching to find out where you are and where you need to be,” Robbins wrote in a blog post.

A better plan for your future

Robbins goes on to encourage working-age Americans to create their own nest egg. Instead of relying on Social Security, it could be a good idea to start building out an independent retirement fund as soon as you can.

Robbins recommends targeting savings of roughly 20 times your annual expenses. This can be coupled with the 4% withdrawal rule, which means you can safely use 4% of these assets (after adjusting for inflation) to meet your living expenses without depleting your funds over the long term.

Need help crunching the numbers and building a plan that works? Consider connecting with a qualified financial advisor.

Research from Vanguard shows that working with a financial advisor can add about 3% to net returns over time (7). That difference can become substantial. For example, if you started with a $50,000 portfolio, professional guidance could mean more than $1.3 million in additional growth over 30 years, depending on market conditions and your investment strategy.

Finding the right advisor is simple with Advisor.com. Their platform connects you with licensed financial professionals in your area who can provide personalized guidance.

A professional advisor can also help you determine how many years you have left to invest before retirement and assess your comfort level with market fluctuations — two key factors in building the right asset mix for your portfolio.

Through Advisor.com, you can schedule a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your retirement goals and long-term financial plan.

Diversify your portfolio

The key to building a robust portfolio for the long run is spreading your wealth across different asset types. As you approach retirement, you’ll often need to sell off assets to maintain your lifestyle.

But if all of your investments are in a single stock, and that stock is down when you want to retire, you will lose money if you have to take it out. That’s why diversification is key.

Investing

The dollar is declining, which may not sound like good news — unless you’re allocating a solid chunk of your portfolio to assets like international stocks, precious metals and commodities.

Consider this: J.P. Morgan is forecasting double-digit gains across developed markets as well as emerging markets in 2026 (8).

This means it could be a good time to consider investing in exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which offer the benefit of built-in diversification — allowing you to buy shares in many companies at once, all across the globe.

Another perk of ETF investing? Accessibility. Anyone, regardless of wealth, can take advantage of this investment strategy.

Tools like Acorns, a popular app that automatically invests your spare change, allow even small ETF investments to grow over time.

Signing up for Acorns takes just minutes. Just link your card and Acorns will round up each purchase to the nearest dollar, investing the difference into a diversified portfolio.

With Acorns, you can invest in a dividend ETF with as little as $5. And, if you sign up today, Acorns will add a $20 bonus to help you begin your investment journey.

Gold

The stock market seesawed during 2025 due to a combination of geopolitical uncertainty and shifting economic priorities, driven in part by U.S. tariff negotiations.

This is one reason why considering inflation-resistant investments for your retirement, such as gold, may be worthwhile. This precious metal is typically more stable than stocks during economic downturns and recessions.

Gold reached a historic high of $5,602 per ounce in January (9) and could surpass a record $6,000 this year, according to Deutsche Bank (10).

Priority Gold is an industry leader in precious metals, offering physical delivery of gold and silver. Plus, they have an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and a 5-star rating from Trust Link.

If you’d like to convert an existing IRA into a gold IRA, Priority Gold offers 100% free rollover, as well as free shipping and free storage for up to five years. Qualifying purchases will also receive up to $10,000 in free silver.

To learn more about how Priority Gold can help you reduce inflation’s impact on your nest egg, download their free 2025 gold investor bundle.

Real estate

Then there’s real estate. For most people, this means purchasing a home, but there are now ways to invest without amassing a sizable down payment and taking on a mortgage.

Consider multifamily rentals — a worthy investment opportunity with robust debt markets in 2026, according to J.P. Morgan (11).

If diversifying into multifamily rentals appeals to you, you could consider investing with Lightstone DIRECT, a new investing platform from the Lightstone Group, one of the largest private real estate companies in the country with over 25,000 multifamily units in its portfolio.

Since they eliminate intermediaries — brokers and crowdfunding middlemen — accredited investors with a minimum investment of $100,000 can gain direct access to institutional-quality multifamily opportunities. This streamlined model can help reduce fees while enhancing transparency and control.

And with Lightstone DIRECT, you invest in single-asset multifamily deals alongside Lightstone — a true partner — as Lightstone puts at least 20% of its own capital into every offering. All of Lightstone’s investment opportunities undergo a rigorous, multi-stage review before being approved by Lightstone’s Principals, including Founder David Lichtenstein.