Most retirees in the U.S. live on a combination of income sources, with Social Security serving as the primary foundation, often supplemented by personal savings (401(k)s/IRAs), pensions, and sometimes part-time work. The average household headed by someone 65 or older spends roughly $61,400 annually, with top expenses being housing, transportation, and healthcare.
According to the latest data from the United States Census Bureau, the median annual income for individuals aged 65 and older is $47,620, while the mean annual income is $75,254. A few other income data points for people of retirement age are illustrated below.
As you plan for retirement, remember that these nine areas — travel, healthcare, relocating, fitness, day-to-day living expenses, paying off debt, insurance, charitable giving and financial planning — aren't just potential expenses; they're real costs that you'll likely spend more on in retirement.
Major Monthly Expenses in Retirement
Only a small percentage of Americans retire with $1 million or more in retirement savings, with figures from the Federal Reserve and Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) showing around 3.2% of retirees hitting that mark, though some sources cite slightly lower numbers for all Americans (around 2.5%) or higher estimates for households nearing retirement (over 10% of older households have $1M+ net worth, not just retirement funds). The reality is most retirees have significantly less, with the median for ages 65-74 being around $200,000-$609,000 in retirement accounts.
According to data from the Social Security Administration, as of June 2025, the average monthly retirement benefit payment was $2,005.05, which comes to about $22,327.68 per year.
Average net worth at age 72
According to Federal Reserve data, households led by someone between the ages of 70 and 74 have an average net worth of about $1.7 million to $1.8 million. This is the mean figure, and it's heavily skewed by very wealthy households.
For a 70-year-old, average retirement savings vary significantly by source, but generally fall between $250,000 and over $600,000 (mean/average), while the median (half have less) is much lower, around $100,000 to $200,000, highlighting a wide gap due to high earners skewing averages. Key figures show the mean for ages 65-74 around $609,000, but the median for that group is closer to $200,000.
A recent Morningstar study states that 45% of retirees could exhaust their funds while retired. The risks are especially acute for retirement age single women, who face a higher likelihood of financial shortfalls than either single men or couples.
Healthcare - Since the cost of healthcare continues to increase, remember to account for the cost of co-pays, vision and dental care and medications. Estimate high – it's likely you'll need medications in retirement that you don't take now. Transportation - Your car probably won't run forever.
How many Americans have $500,000 in retirement savings? Of the 54.3% of U.S. households that have any money in retirement accounts, only about 9.3% have $500,000 or more in retirement savings.
5 retirement mistakes to avoid
Moynes refers to as the 3 D's: depression, divorce, and cognitive decline. This period can be incredibly challenging as retirees struggle to find a new sense of purpose and direction without the familiar structure of their careers.
There is a little-known rule in the social security laws that states that as long as you were an Australian resident for at least 35 years between the age of 17 to 67, you can live wherever you want in retirement and still be eligible to receive the age pension.
A good retirement nest egg aims to replace 80% of your pre-retirement income, often meaning you need 10-12 times your final salary saved by retirement (around age 67), but the exact amount varies greatly by lifestyle, expected expenses (especially healthcare), and retirement age, with rules like saving 1x salary by 30, 3x by 40, 6x by 50, 8x by 60, and 10x by 67 being helpful benchmarks.
The short answer: to retire on $80,000 a year in Australia, you'll need a super balance of roughly between $700,000 and $1.4 million. It's a broad range, and that's because everyone's circumstances are different.