The average 401(k) balance by age, income level, gender, and industry (2024)

FAQs

What is the average 401 balance by age? ›

Average 401(k) Balance by Age

Investment firm Vanguard analyzed data from about 5 million retirement accounts as part of its How America Saves report. According to the latest findings, the average 401(k) balance was $141,542 in 2021. That's an increase of about 10% from 2020.

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.

But while you may be aware of how much money goes into your 401(k) every month, do you know what the average return on a 401(k) investment is? The answer is typically 5% to 8% per year.

Savings by age 30: the equivalent of your annual salary saved; if you earn $55,000 per year, by your 30th birthday you should have $55,000 saved. Savings by age 40: three times your income. Savings by age 50: six times your income. Savings by age 60: eight times your income.

May 25, 2023, at 2:58 p.m. What Is the Average Retirement Age? Among those looking ahead to retirement, many expect to step away from work at age 65, according to the 2023 Retirement Confidence Survey. Although 65 is the anticipated median retirement age, workers report retiring at a median age of 62, the survey found.

Fidelity estimated that those saving for retirement should have a minimum of seven times their salary by age 55. That means that if your annual salary is currently $70,000, you will want to plan on saving at least $490,000 saved.

Can I retire at 62 with $400 000 in 401k? ›

Yes, you can retire at 62 with four hundred thousand dollars. At age 62, an annuity will provide a guaranteed level income of $25,400 annually starting immediately for the rest of the insured's lifetime. The income will stay the same and never decrease.

Many experts recommend saving at least $1 million for retirement, but that doesn't take your individual goals, needs or spending habits into account. In turn, you may not need anywhere near $1 million to retire comfortably. For instance, if you have $500,000 in your nest egg, that could be plenty for your situation.

In fact, statistically, around 10% of retirees have $1 million or more in savings. The majority of retirees, however, have far less saved.

The general rule of thumb for how much retirement savings you should have by age 40 is three times your household income. The median salary in the U.S. in the fourth quarter of 2022 was $1,084 per week or $56,368 per year.

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.

This means that if you make $100,000 shortly before retirement, you can start to plan using the ballpark expectation that you'll need about $75,000 a year to live on in retirement. You'll likely need less income in retirement than during your working years because: Most people spend less in retirement.

Here's how much you would need to save in to comfortably retire: Current retirement savings balance: $10,000. Desired annual income (after taxes) during each year of retirement: $50,000. Annual Social Security benefit: $21,379.56 (given that the average social security benefit is $1,781.63)

There are 5.3 million millionaires and 770 billionaires living in the United States. Millionaires make up about 2% of the U.S. adult population. While an ultra-high net worth will be out of reach for most, you can amass $1 million by managing money well and investing regularly.

What net worth is considered very rich? ›

You might need $5 million to $10 million to qualify as having a very high net worth while it may take $30 million or more to be considered ultra-high net worth. That's how financial advisors typically view wealth.

Key Takeaways. The rule of thumb for retirement savings is 10% of gross salary for a start. If your company offers a matching contribution, make sure you contribute enough to get it all. If you're aged 50 or over, you're allowed to make a catch-up contribution each year.

Yes, retiring at 55 with $500,000 is feasible. An annuity can offer a lifetime guaranteed income of $24,688 per year or an initial $21,000 that increases over time to offset inflation. At 62, Social Security Benefits augment this income. Both options continue payouts even if the annuity depletes.

The IRS's 401(k) contribution increase in 2023 is a big deal. The agency recently announced an increase in the pre-tax 401(k) limit—employees can now contribute up to $22,500 of their salary towards retirement accounts each year. This is a nearly 10% increase from the previous year's limit of $20,500.

Some experts say to have at least eight to 10 times your salary available to you once you enter retirement. Others say you need at least 65% to 80% of your pre-retirement income available to you each year. There are also general savings recommendations by age, and, finally, there's the 4% rule, too.

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.

While there are a few questions you'll need to answer before you can know definitively, the quick answer is that you can certainly retire on $5 million at age 65. Though you may have to make some adjustments, depending on your lifestyle.

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.

Average Social Security retirement benefits in 2023

Average payments for all retirees enrolled in the Social Security program increased to approximately $1,827, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA). However, if you retire in 2023 at age 62, your maximum benefit would be much lower, $2,572.

Retiring at 40 with $2 million is an ambitious goal, but that doesn't mean it's impossible. While you'll need a decent salary or other sources of income or wealth, saving $2 million is not out of reach.

Can I retire at 45 with $3 million dollars? ›

You can probably retire in financial comfort at age 45 if you have $3 million in savings. Although it's much younger than most people retire, that much money can likely generate adequate income for as long as you live.

Retiring at 50 is a great goal to have. If you have $3 million saved, it's likely that you'll be able to retire comfortably. You'll need to factor in your living expenses, inflation and the expected rate of return on your investments.

$500,000 will last: Years, Months, and Days: 7 years 7 months 21 days. Annual Expenditure: $65,436.96.

Yes, it is possible to retire with $1 million at the age of 65. But whether that amount is enough for your own retirement will depend on factors that include your Social Security benefits, your investment strategy and your personal expenses.

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.

The 4% rule suggests that a $1.5 million portfolio will provide for at least 30 years approximately $60,000 a year before taxes for you to live on in retirement. If you take more than this from your nest egg, it may run short; if you take less or your investments earn more, it may provide somewhat more income.

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.

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.

While so-called "401(k) millionaires" make up only 1.4% of the 21.5 million people with Fidelity accounts, the average value of a Fidelity plan dropped by 20.5% as the S&P 500 (^IN) tumbled 19.4% in 2022 amid a year of everything from war, energy uncertainty and widespread inflation.

Employees 50 and older can contribute an extra $7,500, up from $6,500 in 2022. In 2021, roughly 14% of investors maxed out employee deferrals, according to 2022 estimates from Vanguard, based on 1,700 plans and nearly 5 million participants.

Is $300,000 enough to retire at 65? ›

In most cases, you will have to wait until age 66 and four months to collect enough Social Security for a stable retirement. If you want to retire early, you will have to find a way to replace your income during that six-year period. In most cases $300,000 is simply not enough money on which to retire early.

14% of Americans Have $100,000 Saved for Retirement

Most Americans are not saving enough for retirement. According to the survey, only 14% of Americans have $100,000 or more saved in their retirement accounts. In fact, about 78% of Americans have $50,000 or less saved for retirement.

Somewhere around 4,473,836 households have $4 million or more in wealth, while around 3,592,054 have at least $5 million. Respectively, that is 3.48% and 2.79% of all households in America.

Additionally, statistics show that the top 2% of the United States population has a net worth of about $2.4 million. On the other hand, the top 5% wealthiest Americans have a net worth of just over $1 million. Therefore, about 2% of the population possesses enough wealth to meet the current definition of being rich.

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.

The average net worth of Americans aged 65 to 74 hovers around $1.2 million. The median net worth is lower, at $164,000. The typical 70-year-old has around $105,000 in debt, including mortgages, home equity loans, credit cards and student loans, as measured by the Fed's data.

Average 401(k) balance at retirement

Many U.S. workers retire by the time they reach 65. Vanguard's data shows the average 401(k) balance for workers 65 and older to be $279,997, while the median balance is $87,725.

Experts say investors usually need about 80% of their pre-retirement income in retirement. So if they earned $100,000 per year pre-retirement, they'd need $80,000 per year in retirement. Investors who live well below their means will need less than 80% of their pre-retirement income when they leave the workforce.

The median salary of a 65-year-old is $54,000 per year — which means you'd need approximately $540,000 saved if you want to retire at 65.

What net worth is considered rich in retirement? ›

You might need $5 million to $10 million to qualify as having a very high net worth while it may take $30 million or more to be considered ultra-high net worth. That's how financial advisors typically view wealth.

What Is The National Average For Retirement Savings? The national average for retirement savings varies depending on age, but according to the Economic Policy Institute, the median retirement savings for all working age households in the US is around $95,776.

People ages 65 and older had an average income of $55,335 in 2021. Average annual expenses for people ages 65 and older totaled $52,141 in 2021. 48% of retirees surveyed reported spending less than $2,000 a month in 2022. 1 in 3 retirees reported spending between $2,000 and $3,999 per month.

On the other hand, the top 5% wealthiest Americans have a net worth of just over $1 million. Therefore, about 2% of the population possesses enough wealth to meet the current definition of being rich.

The majority of retirees are not millionaires but it's possible to reach $1 million in savings if you're strategic in your approach. Getting an early start can be one of the best ways to reach your goal, as you'll have more time to benefit from compounding interest.

What percentage of the U.S. population has $3 million dollars? According to The Kickass Entrepreneur, there are about 5,671,000 households in the U.S. that have a net worth of $3 million or more. This represents 4.41% of all U.S. households.

According to the Schroders 2023 U.S. Retirement Survey, working Americans age 45 and older expect they will need about $1.1 million in savings in order to retire, but only 21% of people in that age group expect to have even $1 million. That's down slightly from the 24% in 2022 who said they expected to save that much.