[superuser2]

Nope. Retirement savings are typically in 401k and IRA accounts, which are untouchable (without enormous penalty) until age 59.5. It's entirely possible (though irrational) to have six or seven figures in retirement savings but no emergency fund.

[nommm-nommm]

People who go broke if they had a $1000 emergency are not the same people maxing out their 401(k)... plus about half of Americans have no retirement accounts at all.

[superuser2]

Not maxing it out, but many people have an automatic 5-15% payroll deduction that may even be on by default. That money is already out of sight and out of mind, same as tax withholding. Whereas not draining the checking account requires more deliberate discipline.