If your employer doesn't offer a match (or if you're deciding whether to contribute more than you need to get the match) and have no idea where to start, a general rule of thumb is to consider saving 10% to 15% of your income. However, this is just a guideline.
Your Retirement Savings If You Save $100 a Month in a 401(k)
If you're age 25 and have 40 years to save until retirement, depositing $100 a month into a savings account earning the current average U.S. interest rate of 0.42% APY would get you to just $52,367 in retirement savings — not great.
Saving between 10% and 20% of your gross salary toward retirement is a general rule of thumb to follow, but everyone's situation is different. These savings could come in the form of a 401(k) or in another kind of account, like a Roth IRA or even a traditional savings account.
Investing $500 a month can lead to significant long-term growth, thanks to the power of compounding returns. Whether you are just starting out or adding to an existing portfolio, consistently investing $500 each month can help you build substantial savings for future goals, like retirement or a down payment on a house.
If you have $400,000 in the bank you can retire early at age 62, but it will be tight. The good news is that if you can keep working for just five more years, you are on track for a potentially quite comfortable retirement by full retirement age.
The $1,000 per month rule is a guideline to estimate retirement savings based on your desired monthly income. For every $240,000 you set aside, you can receive $1,000 a month if you withdraw 5% each year. This simple rule is a good starting point, but you should consider factors like inflation for long-term planning.
By age 35, aim to save one to one-and-a-half times your current salary for retirement. By age 50, that goal is three-and-a-half to six times your salary. By age 60, your retirement savings goal may be six to 11-times your salary. Ranges increase with age to account for a wide variety of incomes and situations.
In a 401(k) vs. Roth IRA matchup, a Roth IRA can be a better choice than a 401(k) retirement plan, as it typically offers more investment options and greater tax benefits. It may be especially useful if you think you'll be in a higher tax bracket later on.
In this case, a good rule of thumb that still has a profound positive impact on your retirement savings is to contribute just enough to receive the full employer match. So if your employer will match up to 7% of your contributions, only contribute 7% so you can take full advantage of that extra money.
After 20 years, you will have paid 20 × 12 × $100 = $24,000 into the fund. However, the compounding return will more than double your investment.
Most retirement advice is centered around early investing starting in your 20s, and if you're a late bloomer, starting in your 30s.
One of those tools is known as the Rule 72. For example, let's say you have saved $50,000 and your 401(k) holdings historically has a rate of return of 8%. 72 divided by 8 equals 9 years until your investment is estimated to double to $100,000.
Your savings form the smallest part of your 50 30 20 budget. But this portion of money can still be put to good use. With the 20% you save each month, you can: Make extra repayments on your credit cards and loans that can help you pay off existing debt and reduce future interest.
Even with its drawbacks, the 401K can be a valuable tool in your retirement toolkit. The tax-deferred growth, employer matching, and compounding interest you can earn over time make it a powerful option—though it's far from perfect.
Key takeaways
Aim to save at least 15% of your pretax income each year for retirement (including employer contributions). This can be in a 401(k) or another retirement account. Contributing early can help you get the most out of your 401(K).
The Bottom Line. If you leave your job, your 401(k) will stay where it is until you decide what you want to do with it. You have several choices including leaving it where it is, rolling it over to another retirement account, or cashing it out.
Key Takeaways
You should only convert your traditional 401(k) to a Roth 401(k) once you're completely debt-free and you can pay for the tax bill right now with cash on hand. If you can't pay the tax bill for a Roth conversion right now, that's okay!
The $1,000 per month rule is designed to help you estimate the amount of savings required to generate a steady monthly income during retirement. According to this rule, for every $240,000 you save, you can withdraw $1,000 per month if you stick to a 5% annual withdrawal rate.
Match formulas vary, but a common setup is for employers to contribute $1 for every $1 an employee contributes up to 3% of their salary, then 50 cents on the dollar for the next 2% of an employee's salary. Ideally, workers should aim to save 15% of their pre-tax income each year, including any match.
£300k in a pension isn't a huge amount to retire on at the fairly young age of 60, but it's possible for certain lifestyles depending on how your pension fund performs while you're retired and how much you need to live on.
However, when you have $50,000 in your 401(k), 8% growth doesn't seem like a whole lot in any single year. Here's where the power of compound growth comes into play. You truly don't start to see the magic of compound growth until 10 or 20 years of saving and investing. Then you'll finally see things start to blossom.
In fact, at the end of the five years, if you invest $1,000 per month you would have $83,156.62 in your investment account, according to the SIP calculator (assuming a yearly rate of return of 11.97% and quarterly compounding).
Most experts recommend putting at least 10% to 15% of your income toward your retirement fund, so $500 per month is right on target according to this guideline. However, whether $500 per month will make you a millionaire will depend on when you started saving.