Among the 47 million households headed by someone age 60 or older, 7% had household investable assets of at least $2 million, Drinkwater said. Only 6% of the 89 million households in the U.S. headed by someone 40 to 85 years old has that amount, Drinkwater said.
Additionally, statistics show that the top 2% of the United States population has a net worth of about $2.4 million. On the other hand, the top 5% wealthiest Americans have a net worth of just over $1 million. Therefore, about 2% of the population possesses enough wealth to meet the current definition of being rich.
A $2 million nest egg could last 35 years if you budgeted roughly $57,000 every year. The average household in 2021 spent about $67,000. Proper financial planning can help you spread that $2 million out further, as well outpace inflation while you save for retirement.
If you have multiple income streams, a detailed spending plan and keep extra expenses to a minimum, you can retire at 55 on $2 million. However, because each retiree's circumstances are unique, it's essential to define your income and expenses, then run the numbers to ensure retiring at 55 is realistic.
Bottom Line. Retiring at 65 seems like a typical target, but it takes careful planning and a sufficient nest egg to pull off. If you accrue $2 million during your career, you can pay yourself $80,000 annually without touching your principal, which translates to a healthy monthly budget.
The 95th percentile, with a net worth of $3.2 million, is considered wealthy, facilitating estate planning and possibly owning multiple homes. The top 1%, or the 99th percentile, has a net worth of $16.7 million and represents the very wealthy, who enjoy considerable financial freedom and luxury.
1,821,745 Households in the United States Have Investment Portfolios Worth $3,000,000 or More.
According to EBRI estimates based on the latest Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances, 3.2% of retirees have over $1 million in their retirement accounts, while just 0.1% have $5 million or more. However, there's a surprising amount of information to unpack.
At the 4% annual withdrawal, a retiree with $2 million would generate $80,000 per year or $6,666 per month. “This must cover mandatory monthly spending, mandatory annual spending (like property taxes and insurance if you own your own home) and also income taxes,” Wagner says.
For an income of $80,000, you would need a retirement nest egg of about $2 million ($80,000 /0.04). This strategy assumes a 5% return on investments, after taxes and inflation, no additional retirement income, such as Social Security, and a lifestyle similar to the one you would be living at the time you retire.
However, not a huge percentage of retirees end up having that much money. In fact, statistically, around 10% of retirees have $1 million or more in savings.
Once you have $1 million in assets, you can look seriously at living entirely off the returns of a portfolio. After all, the S&P 500 alone averages 10% returns per year. Setting aside taxes and down-year investment portfolio management, a $1 million index fund could provide $100,000 annually.
Not factoring in any additional income or money you need to set aside for taxes, this $2 million would provide you with an annual income of $40,000. This equates to a monthly income of $3,333. With the reduced expenses as detailed above, this amount could afford you a comfortable retirement lifestyle.
To feel wealthy, Americans say you need a net worth of at least $2.2 million on average, according to financial services company Charles Schwab's annual Modern Wealth Survey. But even if you have that much in the bank, it might not be enough to be considered rich in certain places, the survey found.
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.
In 2023, the top 1% of household net worth in the U.S. started at $13.7 billion. An individual would need to earn an average of $407,500 per year in order to join the top 1%, and a household would need an income of $591,550. The median household income was $74,580 in 2023 and $45,440 for individuals.
Retiring at 65 seems like a typical target, but it takes careful planning and a sufficient nest egg to pull off. If you accrue $2 million during your career, you can pay yourself $80,000 annually without touching your principal, which translates to a healthy monthly budget.
The analysis further noted how nearly eight million families have wealth over $2 million, compared to 4.7 million in 2019. This was particularly pronounced among families in the 55-74 age range.
If you inherit 2 million dollars, it's important to take the time to carefully consider your options. Some options include investing the money, paying off debt, and saving for the future.
For a head of household aged 45 to 54 years old, that figure is $247,200. In the 55-64 age range, average net worth is $364,500. For everyone older than 64, the average net worth is $335,600.
The average retired household has a net worth of more than $1 million. There's no ideal net worth for all retirees, but there are some things to keep in mind when looking at yours, such as potential income streams in retirement.
The comeback is heartening, but the current number of retirement-account millionaires remains below the record-high notched at the end of 2021, when Fidelity says it tallied nearly 820,000 401(k)s and IRAs with balances of $1 million or more — compared to 728,000 now.
Top 2% wealth: The top 2% of Americans have a net worth of about $2.472 million, aligning closely with the surveyed perception of wealth. Top 5% wealth: The next tier, the top 5%, has a net worth of around $1.03 million. Top 10% wealth: The top 10% of the population has a net worth of approximately $854,900.
At its most basic, net worth is everything you own minus everything you owe. To calculate your net worth, tally the value of all or your assets, including bank accounts, investments, and perhaps the value of your home or vacation home.
Some sources define upper middle class as anyone who's making a lot of money but hasn't quite crossed the threshold to become truly wealthy yet. These individuals often have a net worth of at least $500,000 to $2 million.