A common benchmark from Fidelity is to have 1× your salary saved by 30, 3× by 40, 6× by 50, 8× by 60 and 10× by 67. Real balances are lower: Vanguard’s How America Saves 2026 puts the median 401(k) at $44,115 and the average at $167,970. Pick your age or savings amount below for a full guide with 2026 limits, projections and catch-up math.
Retirement savings projection calculator
Nominal dollars, monthly compounding, before fees and taxes. Estimates only.
Retirement savings by age: benchmark vs. reality
This table puts Fidelity’s salary multiples (for a $75,000 earner) side by side with what typical 401(k) participants actually hold. Ages between Fidelity’s named milestones are interpolated.
| Age | Fidelity multiple | On $75k | Median 401(k) | Average 401(k) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | start | — | $2,234 | $7,259 |
| 25 | start | $0 | $18,732 | $50,261 |
| 27 | 0.4× | $30,000 | $18,732 | $50,261 |
| 30 | 1× | $75,000 | $18,732 | $50,261 |
| 32 | 1.4× | $105,000 | $18,732 | $50,261 |
| 35 | 2× | $150,000 | $46,919 | $120,742 |
| 37 | 2.4× | $180,000 | $46,919 | $120,742 |
| 40 | 3× | $225,000 | $46,919 | $120,742 |
| 42 | 3.6× | $270,000 | $46,919 | $120,742 |
| 45 | 4.5× | $337,500 | $78,730 | $214,991 |
| 47 | 5.1× | $382,500 | $78,730 | $214,991 |
| 50 | 6× | $450,000 | $78,730 | $214,991 |
| 52 | 6.4× | $480,000 | $78,730 | $214,991 |
| 55 | 7× | $525,000 | $107,269 | $305,006 |
| 57 | 7.4× | $555,000 | $107,269 | $305,006 |
| 60 | 8× | $600,000 | $107,269 | $305,006 |
| 62 | 8.6× | $642,857 | $107,269 | $305,006 |
| 65 | 9.4× | $707,143 | $103,202 | $330,186 |
Median/average: Vanguard How America Saves 2026, by the age band that contains each age.
Get a detailed 401(k) projectionEmployer match, salary raises, Roth vs traditional and the 2026 limits built in.
Is $X enough to retire?
Each guide applies the 4% rule and Morningstar’s 3.9% rate, adds average Social Security, tests how long the money lasts and shows how much to save each month to get there.
| Savings | 4% rule / year | Per month | + avg Social Security |
|---|---|---|---|
| $100,000 | $4,000 | $333 | $2,404 |
| $250,000 | $10,000 | $833 | $2,904 |
| $300,000 | $12,000 | $1,000 | $3,071 |
| $500,000 | $20,000 | $1,667 | $3,738 |
| $750,000 | $30,000 | $2,500 | $4,571 |
| $1 million | $40,000 | $3,333 | $5,404 |
| $1.5 million | $60,000 | $5,000 | $7,071 |
| $2 million | $80,000 | $6,667 | $8,738 |
| $3 million | $120,000 | $10,000 | $12,071 |
| $5 million | $200,000 | $16,667 | $18,738 |
2026 retirement contribution limits
| Limit (2026) | Amount |
|---|---|
| 401(k)/403(b)/TSP/457 employee deferral | $24,500 |
| Catch-up, age 50+ | $8,000 |
| Super catch-up, ages 60–63 | $11,250 |
| IRA (traditional/Roth) | $7,500 |
| IRA catch-up, age 50+ | $1,100 |
| Roth catch-up required if prior-year FICA wages exceed | $150,000 |
Source: IRS IR-2025-111 / Notice 2025-67.
All guides
How much should I have saved at…
Is it enough to retire?
- 401(k) calculatorMatch, raises, Roth vs traditional
- Social Security calculator62 vs 67 vs 70
- FIRE calculatorRetire early with the 4% rule
- Paycheck calculatorTake-home after 401(k)
Not financial advice. Figures are general educational estimates based on public data and fixed return assumptions (nominal, before fees and taxes); real returns vary and can be negative. Consider a fee-only fiduciary adviser for decisions about your own situation.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I have in my 401(k) at 30?
Fidelity suggests about 1× your salary in retirement savings by 30. The median Vanguard participant aged 25–34 has $18,732, so most people are below this benchmark.
How much should I have saved for retirement at 40?
About 3× your salary by Fidelity’s guideline — $225,000 on a $75,000 income. The median 401(k) for ages 35–44 is $46,919 (Vanguard 2026).
How much should I have saved by 50?
About 6× salary by 50, according to Fidelity. From 50 you can add an $8,000 catch-up to the $24,500 401(k) limit in 2026.
Is $1 million enough to retire?
Under the 4% rule $1 million produces about $40,000 a year. With the average Social Security benefit ($2,071 a month in January 2026) a single retiree would have about $64,850 a year, slightly above average 65+ household spending of $61,432.
What is the average 401(k) balance?
Vanguard’s How America Saves 2026 reports an average balance of $167,970 and a median of $44,115 at the end of 2025.
Sources & method
- Salary multiples: Fidelity Viewpoints, “How much do I need to retire?” — 1× salary by 30, 3× by 40, 6× by 50, 8× by 60, 10× by 67 (assumes saving 15% a year from age 25, retiring at 67, about 45% income replacement from savings). Values between these ages are our straight-line interpolation.
- 401(k) balances by age: Vanguard, How America Saves 2026 (participant balances at Dec 31, 2025; average $167,970, median $44,115).
- Retirement-account balances by age of family head: Federal Reserve, Survey of Consumer Finances 2022 (families that hold retirement accounts).
- 2026 contribution limits: IRS news release IR-2025-111 and Notice 2025-67.
- Social Security: SSA estimated average retired-worker benefit, $2,071/month (January 2026). Spending: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024, households 65+ ($61,432/yr). Withdrawal rate: Morningstar, The State of Retirement Income (3.9% for 2026 retirees).
- Projections use monthly contributions and monthly compounding at the stated annual return; dollars are nominal (not inflation-adjusted). All projections are estimates.