4% maximizes match but aim to save 25% of your income for retirement. If you can do more that do it.
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).
Say your employer offers a 100% match on up to 4% of your salary, and your salary is $50,000. If you contribute 4% each pay period over the year, you'll be personally contributing $2,000 over the year and your employer will contribute an additional $2,000 into your 401(k) – essentially doubling your money.
What does the 4% rule do? It's intended to make sure you have a safe retirement withdrawal rate and don't outlive your savings in your final years. By pulling out only 4% of your total funds and allowing the rest of your investments to continue to grow, you can budget a safe withdrawal rate for 30 years or more.
In many cases, as the US data suggests, 4% could be overly conservative. So what circumstances determine how much someone can safely take? Age is important. If the objective is for money to last until 95 with a 90% probability of success, a 65 year old could take 4.0% and a 70 year old 4.5% (see chart below).
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.
Many employers match as much as 50 cents on the dollar, on up to 6% of your salary. Most advisors recommend contributing enough to get the maximum match. Turning down free money put towards your retirement nest egg doesn't make sense.
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.
Applied to 401(k) plans, the safe harbor 401(k) plan exempt an employer from annual nondiscrimination testing that is required with a traditional 401(k) plan if the employer provides, among other things, contributions to employees' accounts that are fully vested when made.
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.
According to Fidelity, investors should aim to save 15% of their pre-tax income annually, including any match. 1 A common rule of thumb is to set aside at least 10% of your gross earnings.
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.
“Choosing the original concept of withdrawing 4% of the initial wealth at retirement increases the risk of outliving funds,” Dai said. “Conversely, withdrawing 4% or even a higher rate, like 6%, of the remaining portfolio value can help sustain funds throughout the retiree's lifetime.
Even if you receive a matching contribution from your employer, adding another few percentage points to a 3 percent savings rate isn't going to move your retirement security needle far enough. An annual savings rate of 15 percent – assuming you start saving in your 20s – is the typical goal planning pros recommend.
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.
According to the $1,000 per month rule, retirees can receive $1,000 per month if they withdraw 5% annually for every $240,000 they have set aside. For example, if you aim to take out $2,000 per month, you'll need to set aside $480,000.
However, a 401(k) can come with fees—though they're typically modest. Traditional (not Roth) accounts are subject to RMDs. There are penalties for withdrawing funds early—if you're younger than 59½ and you don't qualify for a hardship withdrawal, you'll need to pay a 10% penalty to the IRS.
Enroll in a Workplace Retirement Plan
Many millennials have IRAs but are also enrolled in their employers' retirement plans, often a 401(k). If this option is available to you, consider taking advantage of it. Employers that offer retirement plans often match contributions up to a certain percent of your salary.
A study by Vanguard reported that the average employer match was 4.5% in 2020, with the median at 3% of salary. In 2023, if you're getting at least 4% to 6% in 401k employer matching, it's considered a “good” 401k match. Anything above 6% would be considered “great”.
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.
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.
Your net worth is what you own minus what you owe. It's the total value of all your assets—including your house, cars, investments and cash—minus your liabilities (things like credit card debt, student loans, and what you still owe on your mortgage).
Rich retirees: In the 90th percentile, with net worth starting at $1.9 million, this group has much more financial freedom and is able to afford luxuries and legacy planning.
Not factoring in additional income from other sources or taking taxes into account, if you retire at 65 and plan to spread $400,000 across 15 years up to a life expectancy of 85, you'll receive, at minimum, $34,000 annually. This is if you factor in 2% inflation and an annual yield of 6%.