Here, say that you have $1 million in a 401(k) or IRA, and expect to receive $2,500 per month in Social Security payments, a number right in the mid-range of possible benefits. Can you retire at 65? Well, it certainly depends on your standard of living. But for most people the answer is yes.
Around the U.S., a $1 million nest egg can cover an average of 18.9 years worth of living expenses, GoBankingRates found. But where you retire can have a profound impact on how far your money goes, ranging from as a little as 10 years in Hawaii to more than than 20 years in more than a dozen states.
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.
At the current Treasury rate of 4.3%, a $1 million portfolio would generate about $43,000 per year, or roughly $3,500 per month. With your Social Security payments that would generate about $6,000, again enough to live comfortably in most places.
If you have more than $1 million saved in retirement accounts, you are in the top 3% of retirees. According to EBRI estimates based on the latest Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances, 3.2% of retirees have over $1 million in their retirement accounts, while just 0.1% have $5 million or more.
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.
They stayed the course over decades of stock market turbulence, riding the ups and downs to becoming 401(k) millionaires. New data from Fidelity Investments found the number of employees with 401(k) balances over $1 million spiked 26 percent in the second quarter, to 378,000, compared with 299,000 at the end of 2022.
Living off a $1 million portfolio requires a strategic balance between securing steady income and managing investment risks. While some may find comfort in the lower returns yet higher security of Treasury bills, others might lean toward the potentially higher but more variable returns of index funds.
Running some different scenarios through a retirement calculator can help you estimate how long your money should last. Example #1: You have $1 million in savings and earn a 6% annual return. Assuming you're in the 24% tax bracket and withdraw $5,000 per month, your savings should last just over 30 years.
Based on the 80% principle, you can expect to need about $96,000 in annual income after you retire, which is $8,000 per month.
The rule of thumb is that to you'll need about 80 percent of your pre-retirement income to maintain your lifestyle in retirement, although that rule requires a pretty flexible thumb.
1,821,745 Households in the United States Have Investment Portfolios Worth $3,000,000 or More.
The average retirement savings for all families is $333,940 according to the 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances. Taken on their own, those numbers aren't incredibly helpful. There are a variety of decent retirement savings benchmarks out there, but how much money other people have isn't one of them.
$900k can last you for over 25 years in retirement if your annual spending remains around $50,000, following the 4% rule. However, it will depend on your age at retirement and spending needs as a retiree.
For retirees in California, the annual cost of living expenses would be $72,319.57, meaning a $1 million retirement fund would last for about 14 years.
Florida has regained its status as the best state for retirees in 2024. That's according to WalletHub's latest “Best and Worst States to Retire” study. In 2023, Virginia took the top spot and knocked Florida down to No. 2.
With an average income, you can expect it to last 35 years or more. However, everyone's retirement expectations and needs are different. It's important to evaluate whether the money you have saved is enough to fund the lifestyle you want and for how long.
Low-income people may retire by cutting their expenses, downsizing their homes, taking Social Security benefits early, and/or applying for financial assistance through government benefit programs.
In fact, statistically, around 10% of retirees have $1 million or more in savings.
In fact, a recent survey found that investors believe they'll need at least $3 million to retire comfortably. But retiring with $1 million is still possible, even as early as age 55, if you're smart about it. It will require some careful planning since you'll have to wait 10 years for Medicare, but it can be done.
Bank Savings Accounts
As noted above, the average rate on savings accounts as of February 3rd 2021, is 0.05% APY. A million-dollar deposit with that APY would generate $500 of interest after one year ($1,000,000 X 0.0005 = $500). If left to compound monthly for 10 years, it would generate $5,011.27.
According to Schwab's 2023 Modern Wealth Survey, Americans perceive an average net worth of $2.2 million as wealthy. Knight Frank's research indicates that a net worth of $4.4 million is required to be in the top 1% in America, a figure much higher than in countries like Japan, the U.K. and Australia.
The average age of the 401(k) millionaires is 59. They “are not people who found some hot stock and added it to their 401(k) and all of a sudden the balance hit $1 million,” said Shamrell.
This number has been cited so often that investors may feel as if they're failing if they don't reach it. But that shouldn't be the case. In fact, statistically, just 10% of Americans have saved $1 million or more for retirement. Don't feel like a failure if your nest egg isn't quite up to the seven-figure level.