How Much Should You Be Saving Monthly to Retire Comfortably by 65?

Key Points

• It's important you set a goal to save for retirement so you can make sure you are on track.

• The amount you need to save depends on how young you are when you start investing.

• Once you have set your savings goals, you should automate the process of investing for your future.

• The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook ›

The age of 65 is a popular age to retire. However, if you want to leave the workforce at that age, you must make sure that you have enough income to support yourself for the rest of your life. This means you'll need to save throughout your working years in order to build a generous nest egg.

So, how much do you need to save to be ready to retire and support yourself at 65?

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It depends on a few different factors, but there is a simple way to ensure you are prepared to quit your career on schedule.

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Calculating your monthly retirement savings goal

The amount you need to save to retire comfortably at 65 is directly determined by:

• How much money you need to be comfortable
• How old you are when you start saving
• The average returns you earn

If you want to end up with $1 million saved in your retirement plans and other accounts, for example, that nest egg would produce around $40,000 in annual income, assuming you follow the 4% rule.

For many people, that's enough when combined with Social Security. However, if you wanted to spend double that amount, or $80,000, you'd need $2 million in your 401(k), IRA, and/or regular brokerage accounts to have the funds you need to be comfortable.

Likewise, if you start saving at the age of 20, you have a lot more time for the power of compound growth to work, so you don't need to invest quite as much each month to end up where you're trying to go.

This is the amount you should save to retire at 65

While you'll need to do your own calculations as part of your retirement planning process, the table below can give you an idea of what you'll need to have saved each month.

Calculations by author.

As you can see, there's a wide variation in monthly savings targets based on the specifics of your circumstances. The sooner you start saving, the less you must invest each month. And, the more money you need to save to be comfortable, the more you must invest each month.

You'll need to weigh all of these different factors as you plan your retirement, so you can decide if you're willing to live on less to retire sooner or if you want to sacrifice now to step up your savings and have more for your future.

Don't forget to also take factors like inflation and taxes into account, as a $40,000 income today may seem like enough, but in 30 years, you may find $40,000 won't buy you what it used to.

By thinking carefully about your current age and your future needs, you can make an informed choice about how much to save. Then, work that amount into your budget by treating it as a must-pay bill and cutting other spending to hit your target.

If you can automate your contributions and set up your retirement investments to happen automatically, you should be on target to save the money you need by 65 and create the retirement you deserve.

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