How Much Should You Have Saved at Every Age?
Am I saving enough? It's one of the most common financial questions. While everyone's situation is different, there are widely used benchmarks to check where you stand.
The Fidelity Rule of Thumb
Fidelity recommends saving multiples of your annual salary by certain ages:
| Age | Savings Target |
|---|---|
| 30 | 1× your annual salary |
| 40 | 3× your annual salary |
| 50 | 6× your annual salary |
| 60 | 8× your annual salary |
| 67 (retirement) | 10× your annual salary |
Earning $70,000 at age 40? You should aim to have $210,000 saved across all retirement accounts.
What Counts as "Savings"?
These benchmarks typically refer to retirement savings — 401(k), IRA, Roth IRA. Not emergency funds or taxable brokerage accounts (though those are a bonus).
What If You're Behind?
Don't panic — most Americans are behind these benchmarks. The most important step is to start saving consistently now. Time and compound interest are powerful even starting at 35 or 40. Increasing your savings rate by just 1–2% per year makes a massive difference over decades.
Savings Benchmarks by Age (Non-Retirement)
- 20s: 3–6 months emergency fund; start retirement contributions
- 30s: Emergency fund solid; 1–2× salary in retirement; start investing
- 40s: 3–4× salary; max out retirement accounts; eliminate high-interest debt
- 50s: 6–7× salary; maximize catch-up contributions; plan for healthcare costs
Project Your Savings Growth
Use our savings calculator to see where you'll be in 10, 20, or 30 years.
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