T. Rowe Price Personal Investor - You’re Age 35, 50, or 60: How Much Should You Have Saved for Retirement by Now? (2024)

retirement savings | may 31, 2022

It’s important to make steady progress toward saving for retirement, no matter what your age.

T. Rowe Price Personal Investor - You’re Age 35, 50, or 60: How Much Should You Have Saved for Retirement by Now? (1)

Key Insights

  • Savings benchmarks based on age and salary can serve as a helpful way to track progress against saving for retirement.

  • Saving 15% of income per year (including any employer contributions) is an appropriate savings level for many people.

  • Having one to one-and-a-half times your income saved for retirement by age 35 is an attainable target for someone who starts saving at age 25.

T. Rowe Price Personal Investor - You’re Age 35, 50, or 60: How Much Should You Have Saved for Retirement by Now? (2)

Roger Young, CFP®

Thought Leadership Director

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If you want to track your progress toward a goal, chances are there is an app that can do that for you. For example, you can track your steps, your packages, your diet, and even your family’s whereabouts.

But when it comes to saving for your retirement, how much time do you spend tracking your progress? And at what point in your life should you start paying attention?


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Retirement planning can be intimidating at any age—even more so early in your career. When retirement seems so far in the future, it’s hard to plan for it with so many competing priorities in the present. For example, in addition to your regular bills, you may have student loans to repay. Or you may be trying to save money to purchase a home or save for your kids’ college education.

Still, it’s important to make steady progress toward saving, no matter what your age. Moreover, taking stock of where you stand can help you plan with more intention based on your situation.


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Retirement Funds

I’m 35. What Should I Have Saved?

There is a lot of research showing that people tend to rely on approximations or rules of thumb when it comes to financial decisions.

With this in mind, many financial firms publish savings benchmarks that show the ideal levels of savings at different ages relative to an individual’s income. A savings benchmark isn’t a replacement for comprehensive planning, but it is a quick way to gauge whether you’re on track. It’s much better than the alternative some people use—blindly guessing! More importantly, it can act as a catalyst to take action and start saving more.

However, for the benchmark to be useful, it needs to be realistic. Setting the target too low can lead to a false sense of confidence; setting it too high can discourage people from doing anything. Articles on retirement savings goals have generated spirited discussion about the reasonableness of the targets.

Retirement savings What Adjustments Should I Make to My Retirement Savings? The amount you’ve already saved for retirement can help you determine the percentage of your income you’ll need to save going forward.

As a result, my colleagues and I have reevaluated how to calculate achievable benchmarks. We started with the goal in mind: determining the amount of assets needed by age 65. While that number depends on a lot of factors, income is the biggest one. Since higher earners will get a smaller portion of their income in retirement from Social Security, they generally need more assets in relation to their income. We estimated that most people looking to retire around age 65 should aim for assets totaling between sevenand 13½ times their preretirement gross income.

From there, we identified savings benchmarks at other ages based on a reasonable trajectory of earnings and savings rates. We didn’t presume that everyone starts saving our recommended 15% of their income immediately upon receiving their first paycheck. Rather, our hypothetical investor starts saving 6% at age 25 and ramps up savings by one percentage point each year until reaching an appropriate level. We found that 15% of income per year (including any employer contributions) is an appropriate savings level for many people, but we recommend that higher earners aim beyond 15%.

So, to answer the question, we believe having one to one-and-a-half times your income saved for retirement by age 35 is a reasonable target. It’s an attainable goal for someone who starts saving at age 25.

For example, a 35-year-old earning $60,000 would be on track if she’s saved about $60,000 to $90,000.

Retirement savings What Adjustments Should I Make to My Retirement Savings? The amount you’ve already saved for retirement can help you determine the percentage of your income you’ll need to save going forward.

Savings Benchmarks by Age—As a Multiple of Income

T. Rowe Price Personal Investor - You’re Age 35, 50, or 60: How Much Should You Have Saved for Retirement by Now? (3)

Investor's Age and Savings Benchmarks
Investor's AgeSavings Benchmarks
30Half of salary saved today
351x to 1.5x salary saved today
401.5x to 2.5x salary saved today
452.5x to 4x salary saved today
503x to 5.5x salary saved today
554.5x to 8x salary saved today
606x to 11x salary saved today
657x to 13.5x salary saved today

Key Assumptions: Household income grows at 5% until age 45 and 3% (the assumed inflation rate) thereafter. Investment returns before retirement are 7% before taxes, and savings grow tax-deferred. The person retires at age 65 and begins withdrawing 4% of assets (a rate intended to support steady inflation-adjusted spending over a 30-year retirement). Savings benchmark ranges are based on individuals or couples with current household income between $75,000 and $250,000.

The Benchmarks for Those Closer to Retirement

The range gets wider as you get older, so we also provide more detailed estimates for people approaching retirement. This helps someone find a realistic target based on income and marital status, which affect Social Security benefits.

A Closer Look at Savings Benchmarks Later in Your Career

Savings Benchmarks Later in Your Career
Married, Dual IncomeMarried, Sole EarnerSingle
Current Household IncomeAge 55Age 60Age 65Age 55Age 60Age 65Age 55Age 60Age 65
$75,0005x7x8.5x4.5x6x7x6.5x8.5x10.5x
$100,0006x8x9.5x5x6.5x8x6.5x8.5x11x
$150,0006.5x8.5x10.5x6x8x9.5x7x9.5x11.5x
$200,0006.5x9x11x6.5x9x11x7.5x10.5x13x
$250,0007x9x11.5x7.5x10x12x8x11x13.5x

Assumptions: See “Savings Benchmarks by Age—As a Multiple of Income” above. “Dual income” means that one spouse generates 75% of the income that the other spouse earns.

How to Stay on Track

The point of benchmarks isn’t to make you feel superior or inadequate. It’s to prompt action, coupled with a guidepost to inform those actions, even if that means staying the course. If you’re not on track, don’t despair. Focus less on the shortfall and more on the incremental steps you can take to rectify the situation:

  • Make sure you are taking advantage of the full company match in your workplace retirement plan.

  • If you can increase your savings rate right away, that’s ideal. If not, gradually save more over time.

  • If you have a company retirement plan that enables automatic increases, sign up.

  • If you are struggling to save, many employers offer financial wellness programs or other tools that can help with budgeting and basic finances.

Use these savings benchmarks to get more comfortable with planning for retirement. Then go beyond the rule of thumb to fully understand your potential retirement expenses and income sources. Beyond your savings, think about what you are saving for and how you envision spending your time after years of hard work. After all, that’s the reason why you are saving in the first place.

Past performance cannot guarantee future results. All investments are subject to market risk, including the possible loss of principal. All charts and tables are shown for illustrative purposes only.

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Retirement Funds

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T. Rowe Price Personal Investor - You’re Age 35, 50, or 60: How Much Should You Have Saved for Retirement by Now? (2024)

FAQs

T. Rowe Price Personal Investor - You’re Age 35, 50, or 60: How Much Should You Have Saved for Retirement by Now? ›

And by age 60, you should have 5.5 to 11 times your salary saved in order to be considered on track for retirement. For example, a 35-year-old earning $60,000 would be on track if she's saved about $60,000 to $90,000.

What are the retirement guidelines for T. Rowe Price? ›

Aim to save 15% each year. Set your sights on saving at least 15% of your income every year toward retirement. And be sure to take advantage of any 401(k) employer match to help hit that target.

How much should a person invest for retirement? ›

There is a general rule of thumb: When saving for retirement, most experts recommend an annual retirement savings goal of 10% to 15% of your pre-tax income.

What is the best portfolio allocation by age? ›

The common rule of asset allocation by age is that you should hold a percentage of stocks that is equal to 100 minus your age. So if you're 40, you should hold 60% of your portfolio in stocks. Since life expectancy is growing, changing that rule to 110 minus your age or 120 minus your age may be more appropriate.

How much should I have saved for retirement by age 60? ›

How much should I have saved for retirement by age 60? We recommend that by the age of 60, you have about eight times your current salary saved for retirement. So, if you earn $75,000 a year, you would have between $525,000 to $600,000 in retirement savings by 60.

What is the 7% retirement rule? ›

What is the 7 percent rule? The 7 percent rule is a retirement planning guideline that suggests you can comfortably withdraw 7 percent of your retirement savings annually without running out of money.

How much should I have saved for retirement by age? ›

By age 40, you should have three times your annual salary already saved. By age 50, you should have six times your salary in an account. By age 60, you should have eight times your salary working for you. By age 67, your total savings total goal is 10 times the amount of your current annual salary.

Can I retire at 60 with 500k? ›

The quick answer is “yes”! With some planning, you can retire at 60 with $500k. Remember, however, that your lifestyle will significantly affect how long your savings will last.

Is $500,000 enough to retire at 50? ›

Zigmont said that it is possible to retire with $500,000 in savings — but this will likely not be enough for most people. “It is possible to retire on $500,000 if your expenses are less than about $20,000 per year,” he said. “For most people, this means having no debt and being in a low cost of living area.

Can I retire at 50 with 500k? ›

Yes, you can! The average monthly Social Security Income in 2021 is $1,543 per person. In the tables below, we'll use an annuity with a lifetime income rider coupled with SSI to give you a better idea of the income you could receive from $500,000 in savings.

What is a good portfolio for a 50 year old? ›

As you reach your 50s, consider allocating 60% of your portfolio to stocks and 40% to bonds. Adjust those numbers according to your risk tolerance. If risk makes you nervous, decrease the stock percentage and increase the bond percentage.

At what age should you stop investing in the Stock Market? ›

You probably want to hang it up around the age of 70, if not before. That's not only because, by that age, you are aiming to conserve what you've got more than you are aiming to make more, so you're probably moving more money into bonds, or an immediate lifetime annuity.

What does a healthy portfolio look like? ›

A diversified portfolio should have a broad mix of investments. For years, many financial advisors recommended building a 60/40 portfolio, allocating 60% of capital to stocks and 40% to fixed-income investments such as bonds. Meanwhile, others have argued for more stock exposure, especially for younger investors.

Can I retire at 60 with $1 million? ›

So, can you retire at 60 with $1 million, and what would that look like? It's certainly possible to retire comfortably in this scenario. But it's wise to review your spending needs, taxes, health care, and other factors as you prepare for your retirement years.

What is a good 401k balance at age 60? ›

Fidelity says by age 60 you should have eight times' your current salary saved up. So, if you're earning $100,000 by then, your 401(k) balance should be $800,000.

Is $600,000 enough to retire at 60? ›

If you manage to stay healthy and never need long-term care then $600,000 could be enough to sustain you in retirement. On the other hand, if you need long-term care in a nursing facility that could take a large bite out of your savings.

What is the $1000 a month rule for retirement? ›

The (Overly) Simple Math Behind the “$1000/Month Rule”

The math behind the $1000-a-month rule is simple. If you take 5% of a $240,000 retirement nest egg each year, that works out to $12,000/year, which, divided into 12 months, gives you $1000 each month. Painless, right?

Does retirement double every 7 years? ›

Assuming long-term market returns stay more or less the same, the Rule of 72 tells us that you should be able to double your money every 7.2 years. So, after 7.2 years have passed, you'll have $200,000; after 14.4 years, $400,000; after 21.6 years, $800,000; and after 28.8 years, $1.6 million.

What is the retirement 95% rule? ›

The Rule of 95 is an alternative full benefit retirement eligibility date to allow members to retire earlier than their schedule-based eligibility date. Under the Rule of 95, members can retire when their age plus their years of service equal 95 provided that they are at least 62 years old.

How many people have $1000000 in retirement savings? ›

In fact, statistically, around 10% of retirees have $1 million or more in savings.

How many people have $3,000,000 in savings? ›

1,821,745 Households in the United States Have Investment Portfolios Worth $3,000,000 or More.

How much do I need to retire if my house is paid off? ›

One rule of thumb is that you'll need 70% of your pre-retirement yearly salary to live comfortably. That might be enough if you've paid off your mortgage and are in excellent health when you kiss the office good-bye.

Can you retire at age 60 with $2 million dollars? ›

Yes, for some people, $2 million should be more than enough to retire. For others, $2 million may not even scratch the surface. The answer depends on your personal situation and there are lot of challenges you'll face. As of 2023, it seems the number of obstacles to a successful retirement continues to grow.

Can you retire comfortably with $1 million dollars? ›

Will $1 million still be enough to have a comfortable retirement then? It's definitely possible, but there are several factors to consider—including cost of living, the taxes you'll owe on your withdrawals, and how you want to live in retirement—when thinking about how much money you'll need to retire in the future.

What percentage of Americans have $500000 in savings? ›

How much do people save for retirement? In 2019, about 50% of households reported any savings in retirement accounts. Twenty-one percent had saved more than $100,000, and 7% had more than $500,000.

At what age can you retire with $1 million dollars? ›

A recent analysis determined that a $1 million retirement nest egg may only last about 20 years depending on what state you live in. Based on this, if you retire at age 65 and live until you turn 84, $1 million will probably be enough retirement savings for you.

What is the average Social Security check? ›

According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), the average monthly retirement benefit for Security Security recipients is $1,781.63 as of February. Several factors can drag that average up or down, but you have the most control over the biggest variable of all — the age that you decide to cash in.

How much interest does $500 000 earn a month? ›

A $500,000 annuity would pay $29,519.92 per year in interest, or $2,395.83 per month if you prefer to set up systemetic withdrawals of interest. These payments assume a guaranteed interest rate of 5.75%. Fixed annuities pay a specified interest rate for a set period of time.

How long will $500,000 last in retirement? ›

Yes, you can retire at 55 with $500k. According to the 4% rule, if you retire with $500,000 in assets, you should be able to take $20,000/ yr for a 30-year or longer. Additionally, putting the money in an annuity will offer a guaranteed annual income of $24,688 to those retiring at 55.

Can a 50 year old retire on $2 million dollars? ›

Yes, you can retire at 50 with 2 million dollars. At age 50, an annuity will provide a guaranteed income of $125,000 annually, starting immediately for the rest of the insured's lifetime. The income will stay the same and never decrease. annually initially, with the income amount increasing to keep up with inflation.

What should a 60 year old portfolio balance be? ›

At age 60–69, consider a moderate portfolio (60% stock, 35% bonds, 5% cash/cash investments); 70–79, moderately conservative (40% stock, 50% bonds, 10% cash/cash investments); 80 and above, conservative (20% stock, 50% bonds, 30% cash/cash investments).

How much wealth should I have at 50? ›

By age 50, you would be considered on track if you have three to six times your preretirement gross income saved. And by age 60, you should have 5.5 to 11 times your salary saved in order to be considered on track for retirement.

Where should I be financially at 50? ›

Are your retirement savings on track? While each situation differs, CFP Brandon Opre, founder of TrustTree Financial in Huntersville, North Carolina, offers a rule of thumb: 50-year-olds should have four to six times their annual salary saved; 55-year-olds should have five to eight times their annual salary.

At what age is it too late to invest? ›

No matter how old or young you are, it is never too late to start investing in the stock market. Investing now will allow you to take advantage of compounding returns sooner rather than later. This can make all the difference when it comes down to long-term financial goals such as retirement.

What is the 120 age rule? ›

The Rule of 120 (previously known as the Rule of 100) says that subtracting your age from 120 will give you an idea of the weight percentage for equities in your portfolio. The remaining percentage should be in more conservative, fixed-income products like bonds.

What age are most investors? ›

Beginning investors statistics

The average age when a person starts investing is 33.3, according to a 2021 study by robo-advisor Personal Capital.

What should be avoided in a portfolio? ›

7 things no one wants to see in your portfolio (and what to...
  • Everything you've ever designed. ...
  • Your life story. ...
  • An overly complex or distracting layout. ...
  • Finished pieces with no context. ...
  • Only one type of work. ...
  • Unresponsive content. ...
  • A static presentation.
Feb 11, 2020

What are 7 good things to put in a portfolio? ›

As you begin to create your portfolio, there are several different categories that you should consider: Personal Information, Values, Personal Goals and History, Accomplishments and Job History, Skills and Attributes, Education and Training as well as Testimonials and Recommendations.

What is the 5 portfolio rule? ›

In investment, the five percent rule is a philosophy that says an investor should not allocate more than five percent of their portfolio funds into one security or investment. The rule also referred to as FINRA 5% policy, applies to transactions like riskless transactions and proceed sales.

How much does a $1.5 million dollar annuity pay? ›

Based on those factors, some annuity contracts will pay you $29,624 per month for the rest of your life once you begin collecting on that contract. Or, say you change the factors slightly: Payment: Lump sum up front. Date of purchase: 30 years in advance of annuitization.

Can I retire at 60 with $3000000? ›

Yes, you can retire at 60 with three million dollars. At age 60, an annuity will provide a guaranteed income of $183,000 annually, starting immediately for the rest of the insured's lifetime. The income will stay the same and never decrease.

How much money do most people retire with? ›

The Federal Reserve's most recent data reveals that the average American has $65,000 in retirement savings. By their retirement age, the average is estimated to be $255,200.

How much Social Security will I get if I make $200000 a year? ›

That works out to $3,538 in monthly Social Security benefits, after adding on delayed-retirement credits worth an extra 32%. You can see that Social Security doesn't replace a huge portion of earnings, but it's still a significant contribution.

What is a healthy 401k by age? ›

By age 40, you should have three times your annual salary already saved. By age 50, you should have six times your salary in an account. By age 60, you should have eight times your salary working for you. By age 67, your total savings total goal is 10 times the amount of your current annual salary.

What is the average 401k balance for a 62 year old? ›

Average 401(k) balance by age
AgeAverage balance
35 to 44$97,020
45 to 54$179,200
55 to 64$256,244
65 and older$279,997
2 more rows
May 8, 2023

What is a good amount of money to retire with comfortably? ›

By age 50 : Aim to have five to six times your combined salary in retirement savings by the time you and your spouse are 50 years old. By age 60 : Aim to have seven to eight times your combined salary at 60 years old.

Can I retire at 60 and get Social Security? ›

You can start receiving your Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62. However, you are entitled to full benefits when you reach your full retirement age. If you delay taking your benefits from your full retirement age up to age 70, your benefit amount will increase.

How long will $2 million last in retirement? ›

A retirement account with $2 million should be enough to make most people comfortable. With an average income, you can expect it to last 35 years or more. However, everyone's retirement expectations and needs are different.

What is the new 4 rule for retirement? ›

The “4% rule” is a common approach to resolving that. The rule works just like it sounds: Limit annual withdrawals from your retirement accounts to 4% of the total balance in any given year. This means that if you retire with $1 million saved, you'd take out $40,000 the first year.

What is the 6% retirement rule? ›

To get more clarity about your particular situation, think in terms of the 6 percent rule. As a general guide, if your monthly pension check equals 6 percent or more of the lump-sum offer, then you may want to go for the perpetual monthly payment.

What is the 75 year rule for retirement? ›

You are eligible to receive retiree benefits if you meet the “Rule of 75”. This rule states that you must be a minimum of 55 years of age and have a minimum of 10 years of continuous full-time service; if you meet both minimums, then the total of your age and years of service must equal at least 75.

Can I retire at 50 with $2 million dollars? ›

Yes, you can retire at 50 with 2 million dollars. At age 50, an annuity will provide a guaranteed income of $125,000 annually, starting immediately for the rest of the insured's lifetime. The income will stay the same and never decrease. annually initially, with the income amount increasing to keep up with inflation.

What is the 25% retirement rule? ›

The rule of 25 says you need to save 25 times your annual expenses to retire. To get this number, first multiply your monthly expenses by 12, and then you'll have your annual expenses. You then multiply that annual expense by 25 to get your FIRE number, or the amount you'll need to retire.

What is a good monthly retirement income? ›

According to data from the BLS, average incomes in 2021 after taxes were as follows for older households: 65-74 years: $59,872 per year or $4,989 per month. 75 and older: $43,217 per year or $3,601 per month.

What is one of the golden rules of retirement? ›

The thumb rule is not to withdraw more than 5% of the corpus in the first five years of retirement. This can be progressively increased to 10% by the time the retiree is 70. At 80, even a 20% annual drawdown rate would be considered safe.

What is the 3% rule in retirement? ›

As a result, retirement experts have downgraded the Four Percent Rule to the Three Percent Rule. In short, to enjoy a reasonably high expectation of not running out of money prior to death, you should never withdraw more than three percent of your initial portfolio value in retirement.

What is the 10 times rule for retirement? ›

Fidelity recommends people save about 10 times their annual income at retirement age to have enough money to sustain them for the rest of their lives. But this estimate is based on several assumptions, including: You plan to retire and claim Social Security at 67.

Can I retire at 55 with $1 million? ›

Can I retire at 55 with $1 million? Yes, you can retire at 55 with one million dollars. You will receive a guaranteed annual income of $56,250 immediately and for the rest of your life.

Can I retire at 55 and collect Social Security? ›

So can you retire at 55 and collect Social Security? The answer, unfortunately, is no. The earliest age to begin drawing Social Security retirement benefits is 62.

What is the 8% retirement rule? ›

The 8% solution is built on the premise that regardless of what your earned income is, you save at least 8% of it every year for your entire working career. The other portion of the equation is that you also average an 8% rate of return for the duration of your working and retirement saving career.

How do I get the $16728 Social Security bonus? ›

To acquire the full amount, you need to maximize your working life and begin collecting your check until age 70. Another way to maximize your check is by asking for a raise every two or three years. Moving companies throughout your career is another way to prove your worth, and generate more money.

Does retirement double every 10 years? ›

Assuming a 7 percent average annual return, it will take a little more than 10 years for a $60,000 401(k) balance to compound so it doubles in size. Learn the basics of how compound interest works.

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