Your savings longevity can be affected by variables such as investment returns, inflation, and unforeseen expenses. These elements significantly impact the sustainability of your savings. Retiring with $400,000 is feasible if you maintain a moderate retirement lifestyle and are prepared to scale back on luxury.
With $400,000, if you buy an annuity at age 62 and then retire, you might expect monthly payments of around $2,400 for the rest of your life. This comes to about $28,800 per year in guaranteed income according to one estimate.
Someone who has $1 million in liquid assets, for instance, is usually considered to be a high net worth (HNW) individual. 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.
What proportion of American households have saved at least $500,000 for retirement? Believe it or not, data from the 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances indicates that only 9% of American households have managed to save $500,000 or more for their retirement.
Savings of $500,000 may sound like a lot of money. And it is. But if you retire at age 45 to live off of that amount alone, it may not last very long unless you live very frugally. Even then, those savings may get consumed while you're still living.
Probably 1 in every 20 families have a net worth exceeding $3 Million, but most people's net worth is their homes, cars, boats, and only 10% is in savings, so you would typically have to have a net worth of $30 million, which is 1 in every 1000 families.
How much is too much? The general rule is to have three to six months' worth of living expenses (rent, utilities, food, car payments, etc.)
While there's no definitive line, households in the top 20% of earners are generally considered upper class. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median household income in 2022 was $74,580. To reach the upper class in 2024, you'd typically need an income exceeding $153,000 – more than double the national median.
Regarding net worth, having $1 million in liquid assets often puts you in the 'high net worth' category. But if you want to be considered very high net worth, you might need anywhere from $5 million to $10 million. For those aiming even higher, ultrahigh net worth status could mean having $30 million or more.
The rule essentially states that you can withdraw 4% annually from a well-diversified retirement portfolio, adjust your 4% every year for inflation, and expect your money to last for at least 30 years.
People tend to underestimate “high net worth,” citing $400,000 as the median average, which is significantly less than the broadly accepted definition of a HNWI: someone with at least $1 million in liquid assets. Getting clarity on your net worth is an important step toward financial wellbeing.
While you would need to ensure a portfolio of bonds that actually do pay that kind of interest rate, this could ensure a functionally indefinite retirement at almost $32,000 per year when combined with Social Security benefits, somewhat adjusted for inflation as Social Security benefits increase.
You shouldn't oversaturate your investment accounts either, as you'll still only get $250,000 in FDIC insurance per type of account. But you can have a retirement account, a single account, a joint account and other types and still get the $250,000 in FDIC insurance per type of account, even within the same bank.
$400K Is Comfortable, Not Rich In Some Cities
However, based on the above expenses, a $400,000 household income only provides for an upper-middle-class lifestyle for a family of four in a big city.
The Census Bureau put the average American household income at $80,610 from 2023 figures, and to be in the top 20% of income, you'd have to earn almost double the average, bringing in an income of above $130,500 a year.
Six of the nine cities with average incomes over $300K are in California. Only two are on the East Coast, and one of those is Wellesley. An outlying town not far from Boston, Wellesley claims a mean income of $367,801. Fully 60.7% of the population earns north of $200K per year.
In 2022, the national middle-income range was about $56,600 to $169,800 annually for a household of three. Lower-income households had incomes less than $56,600, and upper-income households had incomes greater than $169,800. (Incomes are calculated in 2022 dollars.)
While reaching the $100,000 mark is an admirable achievement, it shouldn't be seen as an end game. Even a six-figure bank account likely won't go far enough in retirement, which could last as long as 30 years.
$3,000 X 12 months = $36,000 per year. $36,000 / 6% dividend yield = $600,000. On the other hand, if you're more risk-averse and prefer a portfolio yielding 2%, you'd need to invest $1.8 million to reach the $3,000 per month target: $3,000 X 12 months = $36,000 per year.
While it is legal to keep as much as money as you want at home, the standard limit for cash that is covered under a standard home insurance policy is $200, according to the American Property Casualty Insurance Association.
The top 10% of earners have an average net worth of $2.65 million. Even if you're squeaking into the upper class (the 80-90% range), you're looking at about $793,000. Moving down to the middle class, things get a bit more varied. The upper-middle class folks have an average net worth of around $300,800.
Believe it or not, according to the 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances, only 9% of American households have saved half a million dollars or more for retirement. That's right, less than one in 10 families has reached this milestone.