Retirement savings is either a comforting or frightening experience for most aging adults. As new data suggests, many Americans may not be as close to retirement as they think. Most adults have substantially less saved than necessary at their age to retire on time.
By the time you hit your mid-thirties, data suggests you should have a little over $31,000 put away. That number jumps up to just over $67,000 by your late forties. The later you start saving in life, the harder it is to get caught up.
The amount saved also varies significantly by geography. People in the Midwest and Northeast are more likely to participate in retirement savings programs such as 401k. They also have better access to these programs than those in the West and South.
Marriage is also a great indicator of a successful financial future. Married couples are about 20% more likely to have retirement account savings than singles. Married couples that hold government jobs have even higher access to retirement plans which can even set them up for early retirement.
Though the future may seem bleak for many, Investment Zen has some recommendations to help maximize your retirement savings. To start with, if your employer offers a 401k plan, take it. If they don’t offer it, you can opt for an IRA or Roth IRA instead.
Using Trinity study’s 4% rule can help you decide how much to save as well. Plan on withdrawing 4% of your total retirement account per year once you retire. If you want $50,000 a year, plan on saving $1,250,000 to retire on.
In the infographic below, it breaks down a few more details on the average state of retirement savings in 2017. It’ll give you a good indicator of where you’re at and what you can do.
