T. Rowe Price Personal Investor - Reasons Why You Should Aim to Save 15% for Retirement (2024)

retirement savings | january 18, 2024

A disciplined savings plan can set you up for future success.

Key Insights

  • For a successful retirement, you should aim to save at least 15% of your income annually over the course of your career.

  • Saving steadily and increasing your contributions periodically should help you hit that target over time.

  • Many retirement plans offer automatic savings and auto-increase options that can help you reach your savings goal.

Contributingas much as you can and starting early will have the greatest impact on reaching your retirement savings goal. Most investors will rely on a combination of Social Securitybenefits and personal savings to fund a retirement that could last decades. Our analysis shows that, to accumulate enough money to retire, you should generally have saved about three times your salary by age 45, seven times your salary by age 55, and 11 times your preretirement salary by age 65. This multiple may vary based on your income and marital status. Reaching this goal will require a savings rate of around 15% over the course of your working career.

We understand the challenges individuals face in setting aside enough for retirement, and while it’s important to set your retirement savings goal at 15%, it’s OK if you can’t save the full amount today. Simply getting started and then steadily increasing your contributions can help get your savings strategy on track. (See “Saving Early Makes a Difference”)

Why now is the right time to review your portfolio.

Market volatility, major life events, andthe rising cost of living can impact your investment strategy.

Get a free portfolio review:

Call 1-800-366-5910

Why now is the right time to review your portfolio.

Market volatility, major life events, andthe rising cost of living can impact your investment strategy.

Get a free portfolio review:

Call 1-800-366-5910
retirement savings Is now a good time to contribute to an individual retirement account (IRA)? During periods of market volatility, investors can benefit from taking a long-term view to save for retirement.

Saving Early Makes a Difference

Starting early and steadily increasing your contributions up to the 15% target can help you reach your retirement savings goal.

T. Rowe Price Personal Investor - Reasons Why You Should Aim to Save 15% for Retirement (2)

Assumptions: Examples beginning at age 25 assume a beginning salary of $40,000 escalated 5% a year to age 45 and then 3% a year to age 65. Examples beginning at age 30 assume a beginning salary of $50,000 escalated 5% a year to age 45 and then 3% a year to age 65. Example beginning at age 40 assumes a beginning salary of $80,000 escalated 5% a year to age 45 and then 3% a year to age 65. Annual rate of return is 7%. All savings are assumed to be tax-deferred. Multiple of ending salary saved divides final ending portfolio balance by ending salary at age 65. This example is for illustrative purposes only and is not meant to represent the performance of any specific investment option. The assumptions used may not reflect actual market conditions or your specific circ*mstances and do not account for plan or IRS limits. Please be sure to take all of your assets, income, and investments into consideration in assessing your retirement savings adequacy.

Fortunately, there are ways to fund a steady increase in your contributions without significantly compromising your lifestyle. Consider these four steps:

1. Take advantage of your workplace plan. Many companies provide matching contributions in workplace retirement plans such as 401(k)s. At a minimum, make sure you are contributing enough to earn the full company match. You don’t want to leave any money on the table that could count toward your 15% total.

2. Automate your investing. Typically, 401(k) contributions are automatically deducted from your paycheck. If you don’t have a workplace plan, or want to invest beyond it, you can set up an individual retirement account (IRA) and have contributions automatically deducted from your paycheck or a bank account on a regular basis. If you have irregular income, automate your reminders so that you can make saving for retirement a priority. Directing money from your paycheck or bank account to fund your savings goals can help keep you from spending it on other things. When you make saving a priority, you’re more likely to achieve your long-term goals.

What’s more, automating your investing allows your assets to benefit from any compounded growth. And an automated approach helps take the emotion out of investing. The result is a disciplined savings process that reduces the chance that you’ll make impulsive changes.

Could personalized financial advice help advance your goals?

Explore Retirement Advisory Service

Could personalized financial advice help advance your goals?

Explore Retirement Advisory Service

3. Increase your contributions each year. Many workplace plans offer a service that will automatically increase your retirement contributions by one or two percentage points each year. Sign up for this service to start working toward that 15% target. If auto-increase options aren’t available or you’re investing outside your 401(k) plan, then schedule gradual increases into your savings plan. If you’re saving in an IRA, you may need to supplement your investments with a taxable account, since IRAs have contribution limits that may make it difficult to achieve a 15% savings rate.

4. Buckle down and budget. A budget, or spending plan, can provide a framework to track your expenses and accommodate your savings goals. Once you understand how you’re spending your money, you can find opportunities to reduce expenses and increase your retirement savings. There are apps and other resources that can help make this easier for you—or you can use a spreadsheet, if that’s more your style.


Subscribe to T.Rowe Price Insights

Receive monthly retirement guidance, financial planning tips, and market updates straight to your inbox.


Subscribe to T.Rowe Price Insights

Receive monthly retirement guidance, financial planning tips, and market updates straight to your inbox.

Keep in mind that these steps alone won’t be enough to ensure a financially secure retirement—but they can help get you closer to meeting your savings goal. And remember, it’s OK if you can’t save 15% today. One of the most important things you can do is to start saving what you can right now. Once you get started, you can work toward saving what you’ll need to fully fund your retirement.

Important Information

This material has been prepared by T.RowePrice for general and educational purposes only. This material does not provide recommendations concerning investments, investment strategies, or account types. It is not individualized to the needs of any specific investor and is not intended to suggest that any particular investment action is appropriate for you, nor is it intended to serve as a primary basis for investment decision-making. T.RowePrice, its affiliates, and its associates do not provide legal or tax advice. Any tax-related discussion contained in this material, including any attachments/links, is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding any tax penalties or (ii) promoting, marketing, or recommending to any other party any transaction or matter addressed herein. Please consult your independent legal counsel and/or tax professional regarding any legal or tax issues raised in this material.

All investments involve risk, including possible loss of principal.

View investment professional background on FINRA's BrokerCheck.

202401-3322204

Next Steps

  • See if you're on track with your retirement savings.

  • Contact a Financial Consultant at 1-800-366-5910.

Log in to your account

retirement savings Is now a good time to contribute to an individual retirement account (IRA)? During periods of market volatility, investors can benefit from taking a long-term view to save for retirement.
T. Rowe Price Personal Investor - Reasons Why You Should Aim to Save 15% for Retirement (2024)

FAQs

Why save 15% for retirement? ›

Fidelity's suggested total pre-tax savings goal of 15% of annual income (including employer contributions) is based on our research, which indicates that most people would need to contribute this amount from an assumed starting age of 25 through an assumed retirement age of 67 to potentially support a replacement ...

What is the 15 percent rule in investing? ›

The rule says to achieve the goal of earning Rs 1 crore, an investor should invest Rs 15,000 monthly through SIP for 15 years, considering a 15% annual return from an equity fund. Consistent adherence to this strategy can lead to significant wealth accumulation.

What is the 15 percent savings rule? ›

The 50/15/5 rule for spending and saving provides guidelines that could make budgeting a little easier. It allocates 50% of your income to essential expenses, 15% to retirement and 5% to short-term savings. The 50/15/5 rule could be a good approach for folks who want to prioritize saving.

What is the 4% rule t-rowe price? ›

T. Rowe Price suggests the 4% guideline as a starting point for a withdrawal strategy. This means that in the first year of retirement, you could consider a withdrawal amount that is 4% of your retirement account balance.

Should you invest 15% of your gross or net income? ›

When it comes to saving for retirement, money expert Dave Ramsey knows exactly how much you should be setting aside. Ramsey's recommendation, which he shared on his website Ramsey Solutions, is to invest 15% of your gross income into your 401(k) and IRA every month.

Is 15% for retirement enough on Reddit? ›

Many commonly recommended retirement savings rates are 20-25%. Very few people are saving 20-25% for retirement. The 15% recommendation is nearly universal. 10% is probably the next most common number if you don't count advice to "literally save anything", because so many save nothing.

Is 15% return on investment good? ›

General ROI: A positive ROI is generally considered good, with a normal ROI of 5-7% often seen as a reasonable expectation. However, a strong general ROI is something greater than 10%.

What is the rule of 15 percent? ›

The 15% Rule states: when the kVp is lowered by 15% the mAs needs to be increased by a factor of 2, and when the kVp is increased by 15% the mAs needs to be multiplied by 0.5 (i.e. divided by 2).

Is 15% a good savings rate? ›

You should consider saving 10 - 15% of your income for retirement. Sound daunting? Don't worry: your employer match, if you have one, counts. If you save 5% of your income and your boss matches another 5%, you've accomplished a 10% savings rate.

Does 15% retirement include an employer match? ›

Employer contributions do not count toward the 15 percent I recommend setting aside for retirement. It's great if you work for a company that offers perks like that, but I want you putting 15 percent of your money into retirement.

Is saving $1000 a month good? ›

Saving $1,000 per month can be a good sign, as it means you're setting aside money for emergencies and long-term goals. However, if you're ignoring high-interest debt to meet your savings goals, you might want to switch gears and focus on paying off debt first.

Can I retire at 62 with $400,000 in 401k? ›

If you have $400,000 in the bank you can retire early at age 62, but it will be tight. The good news is that if you can keep working for just five more years, you are on track for a potentially quite comfortable retirement by full retirement age.

Is the T-Rowe price good? ›

T. Rowe Price is best for long-term investors who want support in making their portfolio management and investment decisions, including planning for key life-events such as retirement and college costs. Individual and tax-advantaged retirement mutual fund accounts are T.

What is the T Rowe Price Rule of 55? ›

Generally allows for penalty-free withdrawals if you retire the year you turn 55 or older. Otherwise, penalty-free withdrawals are available after age 59½. Possible to delay taking RMDs if you are still working. Waive early IRS distribution penalties if certain requirements are met, regardless of age.

Is 15 years enough time to save for retirement? ›

With just 15 years until retirement, your investment returns are important, but they might not be able to catch up from a significant shortfall. Earning an extra percent or two is extremely helpful for a 25-year-old with a 40-year time horizon.

Is a 15 year 401k contribution good? ›

Most retirement experts recommend you contribute 10% to 15% of your income toward your 401(k) each year. The most you can contribute in 2023 is $22,500 or $30,000 if you are 50 or older (that's an extra $7,500).

Should he save less than 15% each month Why or why not? ›

No problem. Here's a final rule of thumb you can consider: at least 20% of your income should go towards savings. More is fine; less may mean saving longer.

Why saving 10% won't get you through retirement? ›

Saving 10% of your salary per year for retirement doesn't take into account that younger workers earn less than older ones. 401(k) accounts offer considerably higher annual contribution limits than traditional IRAs. 401(k) accounts can come with a matching employer contribution, which is in effect free money.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Errol Quitzon

Last Updated:

Views: 6659

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (59 voted)

Reviews: 90% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Errol Quitzon

Birthday: 1993-04-02

Address: 70604 Haley Lane, Port Weldonside, TN 99233-0942

Phone: +9665282866296

Job: Product Retail Agent

Hobby: Computer programming, Horseback riding, Hooping, Dance, Ice skating, Backpacking, Rafting

Introduction: My name is Errol Quitzon, I am a fair, cute, fancy, clean, attractive, sparkling, kind person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.