The study showed that those in retirement spent less time on things like working, educational activities, and caring for others like their children. They spent more time on things like personal care, eating, household activities, shopping, leisure, civic activities and talking on the phone.
They use their newfound free time in a variety of ways, including taking up new hobbies, relaxing at home, watching TV and lingering over daily activities. Many retirees also continue to work or volunteer.
Financial planners often recommend replacing about 80% of your pre-retirement income to sustain the same lifestyle after you retire. This means that, if you earn $100,000 per year, you'd aim for at least $80,000 of income (in today's dollars) in retirement.
The 4% rule is a popular retirement withdrawal strategy that suggests retirees can safely withdraw the amount equal to 4% of their savings during the year they retire and then adjust for inflation each subsequent year for 30 years.
Follow the 3% Rule for an Average Retirement
If you are fairly confident you won't run out of money, begin by withdrawing 3% of your portfolio annually. Adjust based on inflation but keep an eye on the market, as well.
Housing. Housing expenses—which include mortgage, rent, property tax, insurance, maintenance and repair costs—remained the largest expense for retirees. More specifically, the average retiree household pays an average of $17,454 per year ($1,455 per month) on housing costs, representing over 35% of annual expenditures.
Top the amount with 401(k) savings, living on $3,000 a month after taxes is possible for a retiree. For those who only have social security benefits to rely on, there are many places where they can retire on their checks both in the USA and around the world.
As of December 2023, the average check is $1,767.03, according to the Social Security Administration – but that amount can differ drastically depending on the type of recipient.
The national average for retirement savings varies depending on age, but according to the Economic Policy Institute, the median retirement savings for all working age households in the US is around $95,776. This figure includes both employer-sponsored retirement accounts and individual retirement accounts (IRAs).
Based on data from the SSA's Office of the Actuary, nearly 566,000 aged 62 retired-worker beneficiaries were receiving $1,274.87 as of Dec. 2022. Meanwhile, the average Social Security check for the 2.27 million retired workers at age 66 is $1,719.85.
Personal health: A large contributor to happiness is your health. Retirees who take care of themselves and maintain a healthy lifestyle are generally happier than those who do not. There are many low-cost forms of exercise such as walking, swimming, biking, and hiking.
According to AARP's 2022 Travel Trends survey, the majority of travelers over age 50 (67 percent) planned to travel in 2022, taking at least four trips throughout the year.
Travel: Wealthy individuals often have the resources to travel extensively, whether for leisure or for philanthropic work. Entrepreneurship: Some retired celebrities and wealthy individuals start their own businesses, either for profit or as a way to pursue their passions.
A plurality of older Americans, 40.2 percent, only receive income from Social Security in retirement. Roughly equal numbers of older Americans receive income from defined benefit pensions as from defined contribution plans.
Take your estimated monthly expenses (be sure they're realistic) and divide that number by 4% to figure out how much income you'll need in retirement. You'll need $1.25 million ($50,000 ÷ 0.04) going into retirement if you estimate that you'll need $50,000 a year to live comfortably.
Is Living on Social Security Alone Possible? You can potentially use Social Security alone to support yourself, but you would need to plan in advance to ensure that your monthly check will cover your necessary expenses at minimum, including your food and housing.
The above chart shows that U.S. residents 35 and under have an average of $30,170 in retirement savings; those 35 to 44 have an average $131,950; those 45 to 54 have an average $254,720; those 55 to 64 have an average $408,420; those 65 to 74 have an average $426,070; and those over 70 have an average $357,920.
Only 25% of retirees generate what many estimate as the amount needed to maintain their standard of living - 70% or more.
If the combination of Social Security, pensions and prudent draws from your savings is enough to cover the expenses on your retirement budget, then you're pretty much home free. Let your retirement adventures begin!
The more time you have to save and invest, the more opportunity your money has to grow. Waiting to start saving for retirement can mean having to play catch-up later. If you're approaching the last five years before you retire, a late start can put you at a serious disadvantage.
Once you reach 59½, you can take distributions from your 401(k) plan without being subject to the 10% penalty. However, that doesn't mean there are no consequences. All withdrawals from your 401(k), even those taken after age 59½, are subject to ordinary income taxes.
If you retire with $500k in assets, the 4% rule says that you should be able to withdraw $20,000 per year for a 30-year (or longer) retirement. So, if you retire at 60, the money should ideally last through age 90.