Historically, the stock market has an average annual rate of return between 10–12%. So if your $1 million is invested in good growth stock mutual funds, that means you could potentially live off of $100,000 to $120,000 each year without ever touching your $1 million goose. But let's be even more conservative.
Traditional savings accounts, generally reserved for short-term savings, available at banks generally yield low rates of interest. A million-dollar deposit with the average 0.45% APY would generate $$4,510.08 of interest after one year. If left to compound daily for 10 years, it would generate $46,027.51.
For someone holding $1 million in assets, then, a simple index fund would theoretically throw off about $100,000 per year in returns. On paper this means you could generate $100,000 per year, or $8,300 per month pre-tax, without ever drawing down on the principal.
For the foreseeable future, you won't find any banks that offer 7% APY on savings accounts. However, you can find some credit unions that pay 7% or more on checking accounts. Before opening an account, take a close look at the terms and conditions to determine whether you can earn the advertised rate.
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.
The safest place to put $1 million dollars would be in a combination of insured bank accounts and conservative investments, such as bonds and CDs, to ensure a balance of liquidity and stability.
In fact, many wealthy people can and do "live off the interest." That is, they put a chunk of their fortune in a relatively safe collection of income-generating assets and live off of that—allowing them to be more adventurous with the rest.
For example, if you have retirement savings of $1 million, the 4% rule says that you can safely withdraw $40,000 per year during the first year — increasing this number for inflation each subsequent year — without running out of money within the next 30 years.
The classic approach to doubling your money is investing in a diversified portfolio of stocks and bonds, which is likely the best option for most investors. Investing to double your money can be done safely over several years, but there's a greater risk of losing most or all your money when you're impatient.
How much does a $1 million annuity pay per month? As of January 2025, with a $1,000,000 annuity, you'll get an immediate payment of $6,000 monthly starting at age 60, $6,608 monthly at age 65, or $7,125 monthly at age 70.
Just 16% of retirees say they have more than $1 million saved, including all personal savings and assets, according to the recent CNBC Your Money retirement survey conducted with SurveyMonkey. In fact, among those currently saving for retirement, 57% say the amount they're hoping to save is less than $1 million.
But other costs, like travel and medical expenses, can go up in retirement. As a rule of thumb, experts recommend replacing between 70% and 90% of your pre-retirement income. So, if your pre-retirement income was $80,000, you would want your assets to generate between $56,000 and $72,000 in retirement.
You wouldn't expect millionaires to keep more than $250,000 in a checking account, however, because balances over this threshold aren't typically insured.
Have you heard about the Social Security $16,728 yearly bonus? There's really no “bonus” that retirees can collect. The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a specific formula based on your lifetime earnings to determine your benefit amount.
If your spouse dies, do you get both Social Security benefits? You cannot claim your deceased spouse's benefits in addition to your own retirement benefits. Social Security only will pay one—survivor or retirement. If you qualify for both survivor and retirement benefits, you will receive whichever amount is higher.
The ideal monthly retirement income for a couple differs for everyone. It depends on your personal preferences, past accomplishments, and retirement plans. Some valuable perspective can be found in the 2022 US Census Bureau's median income for couples 65 and over: $76,490 annually or about $6,374 monthly.
There are two high-yield checking accounts with interest of at least 7%, though: BCU PowerPlus Checking and Landmark Credit Union Premium Checking Account. Both come with major downsides, though. Are 7% interest savings accounts safe?
While there aren't any financial institutions paying 7% on a CD right now, there are other banks and credit unions that pay high CD rates. Compare today's top CD and savings rates.