Even software engineers are not guaranteed a cushy retirement. Everyone assumes the stock market averages a return of 7-9% per year, but there have been periods of a decade or more where the return was 0 or negative, not just in other countries stock markets, but the US as well. If the stock market, for whatever reason, stays flat for the next even 10 years, which has happened before, it will severely limit even SWE retirement savings by the time they reach 55 1/2 years old. Part of the issue is there are so many limitations to retirement savings. How much you can contribute. Whether you can contribute (if you are not provided a 401k from your employer, you can’t put away anywhere near $20k/year for retirement). Then there’s social security. “Everyone” says that won’t exist in 30 years, so why am I paying into it? Why am I forced to pay into it? I should be able to opt out if I’m maxing out my 401k every year. It’s a broken system to be sure.