Monicle Financial Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Shinji Harada), which operates the money diagnosis and consultation service "Moneiro," conducted a survey on the use of retirement benefits targeting users of its "3-Minute Investment Diagnosis" service.

The survey analyzed data randomly extracted from 6,000 users, with 3,000 from each age group, specifically users in their 40s (40-49 years old) and 50s (50-59 years old). The results showed that 25.1% of those with investment experience and 5.7% of those without investment experience chose to use their retirement benefits as "seed money for asset management and investment," a difference of approximately 4.4 times. This reveals a significant divergence in behavior based on whether individuals have investment experience during their working years, even when receiving the same retirement benefits.

Key Survey Findings

Approximately 15% of people aged 40-59 use their retirement benefits for "asset management." Among those with investment experience, this figure is 25.1%, while for those without experience, it is 5.7%, a difference of about 4.4 times.

Even among those expecting retirement benefits of 30 million yen or more, only 4.3% of those without investment experience answered that they would "use it for asset management" (this is an estimated value based on a small sample size of n=23). In contrast, 20.7% of those with investment experience answered they would "use it for asset management," even if they expected less than 5 million yen in retirement benefits. The survey indicates that prior investment experience during working years is a stronger determinant of how retirement benefits are used than the amount of the benefits themselves.

Regarding the amount of retirement benefits, 14.8% of those without investment experience answered "don't know / undecided," compared to 8.3% of those with investment experience, meaning those without experience were about 1.8 times more likely to be unsure. The presence or absence of investment experience also creates a difference in whether individuals are aware of the "amount of their retirement benefits" in the first place.

Survey Details

1. Retirement Benefit Usage Greatly Polarized by Investment Experience

When asked about the top priority for using retirement benefits among 4,632 respondents aged 40-59 who expect to receive them, "Bank savings (for living expenses in retirement)" was the most common choice for those with investment experience at 35.0%, followed by "Using it as seed money for asset management and investment" at 25.1%. For those without investment experience, "Bank savings" accounted for 49.0%, or about half, while only 5.7% chose to "use it as seed money for asset management and investment."

Regardless of experience, the most frequently chosen primary use for retirement benefits was "Bank savings (for living expenses in retirement)." However, 25.1% of those with investment experience also chose "Using it as seed money for asset management and investment," a difference of more than four times compared to the 5.7% of those without experience. This reveals a significant difference in the balance between "offensive" and "defensive" approaches to retirement plans based on investment experience.

[Table 1] Investment Experience x Retirement Benefit Usage (Ages 40-59, expecting retirement benefits, n=4,632)

Retirement Benefit Usage

Experienced (n=2,318)

Inexperienced (n=2,314)

Difference

Ratio

Bank savings (for living expenses in retirement)

35.0%

49.0%

-14.0pt

0.71x

Using it as seed money for asset management and investment

25.1%

5.7%

+19.3pt

4.40x

Repaying housing loans

12.7%

14.7%

-2.0pt

0.86x

Leisure funds such as hobbies and travel

8.1%

3.5%

+4.7pt

2.31x

Undecided / Don't know

17.4%

25.0%

-7.7pt

0.70x

2. A Gap of Over 5x Already by Age 40

When looking at the proportion who chose to "use it for asset management" by age group, the difference was 5.12 times for those in their 40s (21.5% for experienced vs. 4.2% for inexperienced) and 3.81 times for those in their 50s (28.5% for experienced vs. 7.5% for inexperienced). This suggests that the behavioral gap is already becoming fixed by the time individuals in their 40s begin to consider their retirement benefits.

[Table 2] Proportion Answering "Use for Asset Management" (By Age Group x Investment Experience)

Age Group

Sample

Experienced

Inexperienced

Ratio

40s

n=2,343

21.5%

4.2%

5.12x

50s

n=2,289

28.5%

7.5%

3.81x

3. Investment Experience Also Affects "Awareness" of Retirement Benefit Amount

The proportion of respondents who answered "I don't know / undecided about my retirement benefit amount" was 14.8% for those without investment experience, compared to 8.3% for those with investment experience, indicating that those without experience were about 1.8 times more likely to be unsure. The presence or absence of investment experience clearly impacts not only the "use" of retirement benefits but also the "awareness of the amount to be received."

[Table 3] Investment Experience x Retirement Benefit Amount Perception (All Ages 40-59, n=6,000)

Expected Retirement Benefit Amount

Experienced (n=2,899)

Inexperienced (n=3,101)

Ratio

No expected receipt

23.6%

30.2%

0.78x

Less than 5 million yen

20.6%

24.3%

0.85x

5 million yen to less than 10 million yen

17.0%

13.1%

1.30x

10 million yen to less than 20 million yen

18.7%

12.3%

1.52x

20 million yen to less than 30 million yen

8.9%

4.7%

1.89x

30 million yen or more

2.9%

0.7%

4.14x

Undecided / Don't know

8.3%

14.8%

0.56x

4. For Those Without Experience, Even with Larger Retirement Benefits, Only About 10% Invest

Looking at the selection rate for "use for asset management" by retirement benefit amount, 20.7% of those with investment experience answered they would "use for asset management," even with expected benefits of less than 5 million yen. In contrast, only 5.0% of those without experience did so. Furthermore, even among those expecting 20 million to 30 million yen in retirement benefits, there is a 2.5x difference in the proportion who answered they would "use for investment" between those with and without experience.

It has become clear that "investment experience during working years," rather than the "amount to be received," is what influences the use of retirement benefits.

[Table 4] Expected Retirement Benefit Amount x "Use for Asset Management" Selection Rate (Ages 40-59, expecting retirement benefits)

Expected Retirement Benefit Amount

Experienced

Inexperienced

Ratio

Less than 5 million yen

20.7%

5.0%

4.1x

5 million yen to less than 10 million yen

26.1%

7.0%

3.7x

10 million yen to less than 20 million yen

32.4%

9.2%

3.5x

20 million yen to less than 30 million yen

30.6%

12.2%

2.5x

30 million yen or more

36.1%

4.3%

8.4x

Regarding These Survey Results

"The "20 million yen problem for retirement" that once caused a stir in society has widely spread the "knowledge" that asset management is necessary. However, based on my years of experience facing the market as a portfolio manager and securities analyst, I can say that "having knowledge about investing" and "actually having contact with the market" are completely different in terms of changing behavior in asset management. This survey revealed that it is not the "amount" but the "presence or absence of investment experience during working years" that determines how retirement benefits are used, a result that aligns with my own practical experience.

What is particularly striking is the behavioral gap of over 5 times already by the age of 40. At a time when there are still more than ten years until retirement benefits are actually received, the divergence in how they are used is already becoming fixed. I believe this fact implies that retirement education and life planning information provision are too late if offered just before receiving retirement benefits."

Ryosuke Izumida Director, Monicle Financial Inc.

Mr. Izumida previously served as a portfolio manager for foreign and Japanese equities and as a securities analyst at Nippon Life Insurance and Fidelity Investments. He co-founded Navigator Platform Inc. in 2013 and Monicle Financial Inc. (formerly OneMile Partners) in 2018. In 2021, he co-founded the parent company Monicle Inc. and assumed the position of Director.

Ryosuke Izumida, Director of Monicle Financial Inc.

Survey Overview

Item

Details

Survey Title

Survey on the Reality of Retirement Benefit Usage by "Investment Experience"

Survey Target

Users aged 40-59 who use Moneiro's "3-Minute Investment Diagnosis"

Responses Collected

Total 6,000 individuals (3,000 in their 40s, 3,000 in their 50s; stratified random sampling to balance those with and without investment experience within each age group)

Survey Period

Extracted from response data as of May 2026

Questions

1. Expected retirement benefit amount (7 options) 2. Priority use of retirement benefits (6 options + other)

Definition of "Investment Experience"

Defined as respondents who answered "Yes" to the "Current Investment Experience" question in the "3-Minute Investment Diagnosis" service.

Extraction Procedure

Stratified random sampling across four cells: age group x investment experience. Extraction logs and design metadata are stored separately internally using reproducible scripts and fixed SEED values.

Survey Sponsor

Monicle Financial Inc. / Moneiro

*As this survey targets users of "3-Minute Investment Diagnosis," the population is biased towards "those interested in asset building." Please note that this does not claim representativeness of Japan as a whole.

* "Investment experience" is self-reported based on a single question in "3-Minute Investment Diagnosis" and does not inquire about the quality, duration, or results of the experience.

* When quoting, please cite the source as "Moneiro '3-Minute Investment Diagnosis' Survey (2026)."

Company Name: Monicle Financial Inc.

Representative: Shinji Harada, Representative Director and CEO

Headquarters: 7F Ichibancho Tokyu Building, 21 Ichibancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Established: November 27, 2018

Business Activities: Operation of digital financial services (financial instrument brokerage, life insurance solicitation)

Capital: 983.8 million yen (including capital reserve)

URL

Corporate Site: https://moniclefinancial.co.jp/

Recruitment Site: https://recruit.moniclefinancial.co.jp/

Official Owned Media: https://media.moniclefinancial.co.jp/

Asset Management Service "Moneiro" for Working Generations: https://moneiro.jp/

Insurance Comparison and Estimate Service "Hoken no Kosupa": https://hokencospa.jp/

Disclosure based on the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act: https://moniclefinancial.co.jp/financial

FACT BOX

  • Source: PR TIMES
  • Category: Survey結果
  • Organizations: OneMile Partners