Boldin Reports that Over 88,000 Households With $247 Billion in Assets Are Now Planning Their Own Retirements

New data reflects a growing shift away from traditional AUM models toward self-directed retirement planning

SAN FRANCISCO, June 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Retirement planning platform Boldin today announced that more than 88,000 households representing over $247 billion in self-reported assets are using the platform to build and manage their own retirement plans, reflecting a growing trend toward more DIY financial planning.

American households are increasingly moving away from the traditional financial advisory model and turning to software to model their own retirement income, evaluate tax strategies, optimize Social Security claiming decisions, and stress-test major financial choices independently. If these assets were managed under a traditional 1% assets-under-management (AUM) fee structure, the collective annual cost would total approximately $2.47 billion.

"For decades, this level of retirement planning required an ongoing advisory relationship most households couldn't justify paying a percentage of their assets for," said Steve Chen, CEO and founder of Boldin. "We built Boldin because we want more people to be able to achieve financial confidence and gain control of their futures. Seeing planners come back month after month, updating and refining their plans as their lives change, confirms that instinct. That sustained engagement is what actually moves retirement outcomes."

Rethinking the Traditional AUM Advisor Model
The average Boldin planner reports $3.1 million in investable assets. Under a 1% AUM model, managing a portfolio that size would typically cost the account holder $31,000 per year. Boldin's planning software costs $144 per year, roughly 215 times less, with planning that extends well beyond savings and investments. For households seeking additional human guidance, a comprehensive review with a Boldin Advisors' Certified Financial Planner® professional costs $3,200, about one-tenth the annual cost of a traditional AUM relationship.

Planning for Financial Confidence
DIY planners enjoy advantages beyond just fee savings. Boldin planners can model any 'what if' scenario across their full financial picture using Boldin AI – and active users are leaning into it. Of 47,803 Plus subscribers active in the last month, 52.9% asked at least one AI question; those who engaged with AI averaged 19.2 questions over those 30 days, and even across the full active Plus base, the average was 10.2.

The decisions they're modeling span nearly every major retirement topic:

• Social Security claiming strategy — the difference between optimal and suboptimal claiming can exceed $100,000 per household
• Withdrawal sequencing across taxable, tax-deferred, and Roth accounts — can extend portfolio life by years
• Home equity decisions — downsizing or leveraging equity to extend retirement runway
• Roth conversion timing — often the single largest tax decision in a household's lifetime
• Healthcare and long-term care modeling — frequently underweighted in advisor-led plans
• Retirement timing itself — small adjustments compound across decades

Boldin planners don't set a plan and leave: 55% have worked on their plan in the last 30 days, 75% in the last three months, 88% in the last six months, and 96% within the past year.

Methodology
This data is from an analysis of 88,087 active Boldin PlannerPlus subscribers on June 17, 2026. This count grows daily.

The estimated $2.47 billion in fees reflects what these households would have paid under a traditional 1% assets-under-management fee model applied to the $247 billion in self-reported assets on the platform. Approximately 25% of Boldin users also report working with a financial advisor, meaning the estimate should not be interpreted as direct replacement savings in every case.

About Boldin
Boldin is a retirement planning platform on a mission to make high-quality planning accessible to everyone. The platform helps people understand where they stand, explore their options, and make informed decisions about retirement, taxes, Social Security, healthcare, housing, investing, and more. Combining powerful planning technology and personalized AI with education, coaching, community, and access to fiduciary advisors, Boldin gives people the tools and guidance to build a plan they can understand, trust, and act on. Today, more than 88,000 households use Boldin to plan their futures, representing over $247 billion in self-reported assets. Learn more at Boldin.com.

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SOURCE Boldin