Americans retiring now are going it alone: They're the first generation to rely on private savings instead of pensions to navigate the financial vortex of retirement.

Why it matters: 401(k) plans and IRAs don't generate steady and predictable income like pensions or Social Security. The result is a feeling of perpetual insecurity, even among those who've amassed substantial savings.

Catch up quick: When your retirement relies on a fixed pool of money like a 401(k), it becomes almost impossible to answer a simple question: How much income do you have?

• The individual retiree, rather than any fund administrator, ultimately decides how much money to withdraw each month.
• And a check isn't just income — it also serves as a simple way of setting a monthly budget.

Zoom in: For most retired Americans, many of whom retired as long ago as last century, guaranteed income still covers more than half of their total monthly spending.

• Today's retirees find themselves in a much more uncertain situation, with a host of spending needs all having to be funded out of a volatile and unpredictable retirement portfolio.

By the numbers: In a recent Goldman Sachs survey, 51% of retirees reported living on less than half the income they enjoyed pre-retirement.

Between the lines: 45% of retirees, including 54% of female retirees, said they found entering retirement to be somewhat or very stressful in terms of financial anxiety.

What's next: Those numbers are certain to rise as guaranteed incomes make up an ever-smaller proportion of retirement income.

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Tucker Carlson's sudden departure from Fox News could be a sigh of relief for Gov. Greg Abbott, who had long faced criticism from the network's star prime-time host over illegal immigration and other issues.

State of play: Fox officials announced this week that the network and Carlson had "agreed to part ways" after more than a decade.

• Carlson's tenure at Fox News made its mark on Texas politics and the Republican Party.

Why it matters: Carlson didn't just have the ear of former President Trump. He seemingly was able to sway some of Abbott's political moves.

Flashback: Most recently, Carlson appeared to influence Abbott's push for a pardon of Daniel Perry, the Army sergeant convicted of killing an Austin social justice protester.

• The same day a Travis County jury found Perry guilty of murder, Carlson needled Abbott for declining an invitation to speak about whether he was considering a pardon, saying: "So that is Greg Abbott's position, there is no right of self-defense in Texas."
• The next day, Abbott tweeted that he would ask the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles to review Perry's case and that he would approve the board's pardon recommendation "as soon as it hits my desk."

Go deeper

🎭 Spring Branch ISD canceled a field trip to a "James and the Giant Peach" play due to concerns about the "age-appropriateness of the performance." The cancellation came after an Instagram post about a "drag queen's role in the show" gained traction. (Houston Chronicle)

🔥 The Texas Tribune analyzed previously unreported air monitoring data from a 2019 chemical disaster near Deer Park and found that high benzene levels lingered in the air for two weeks after public health measures were lifted. (Texas Tribune)

🎤 Karol G will perform Aug. 29 at NRG Stadium for her Mañana Será Bonito tour. General ticket sales start at noon on May 5 at Ticketmaster.com. (Live Nation)

The Texans selected Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud to lead the team to victory next season.

Here's what you need to know about him:

• College stats: In two seasons as the starter, he threw for 8,123 yards and 85 touchdowns against just 12 interceptions, and his 182.4 passer rating is the fourth-best mark ever. He ran for just 136 yards and one TD.
• Strength: "Simply put, Stroud is the best pure pocket passer in the 2023 draft class," writes ESPN's Todd McShay. "His touch and timing are outstanding … and there isn't a throw he needs to make that he can't deliver with authority."
• Weakness: Some NFL personnel think Stroud isn't easy to coach, and he scored poorly on the S2, which is a new cognition test that replaced the controversial Wonderlic.

What he's saying: "I bring me," Stroud told the NFL Network. "I bring a man of God. I bring a leader. I bring somebody who's going to go to work every day and work their tail off."

Meanwhile, a packed Miller Outdoor Theatre erupted in excitement at the official watch party as Stroud's name was read by the NFL commissioner.

Of note: Yesterday, Stroud was one of three Black quarterbacks drafted in the top 10 — a first in NFL history, per The Athletic.

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A big congratulations to Grace Cao of Sugar Land, whose painted bass placed her first among statewide artists in grades seven through nine.

Driving the news: Her art got her a $200 scholarship from the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center.

• The annual Fish Art Contest challenges young artists to make renditions of fish and gives them a chance to compete on a statewide level.

What they're saying: "The Fish Art Contest does a tremendous job of exposing students across Texas to the wonders of fish and fisheries resources through the nexus of art," says Tom Lang, director of the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center.

What's next: Cao and other winners will move on to a national competition.