{"id":12675,"date":"2025-08-21T00:06:11","date_gmt":"2025-08-21T00:06:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/12675\/"},"modified":"2025-08-21T00:06:11","modified_gmt":"2025-08-21T00:06:11","slug":"heres-how-much-you-should-have-in-your-401k-in-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/12675\/","title":{"rendered":"Here\u2019s How Much You Should Have in Your 401(k) in 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\">An <a href=\"https:\/\/news.gallup.com\/poll\/691202\/percentage-americans-retirement-savings-account.aspx\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:April 2025 Gallup poll;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">April 2025 Gallup poll<\/a> found that 59% of Americans had funds in retirement accounts, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gobankingrates.com\/retirement\/401k\/what-is-401k\/?hyperlink_type=manual&amp;utm_term=incontent_link_1&amp;utm_campaign=1313117&amp;utm_source=yahoo.com&amp;utm_content=1&amp;utm_medium=rss\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:401(k) plans;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">401(k) plans<\/a>. However, only half of non-retirees thought they\u2019d save enough for a comfortable retirement.<\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\">While knowing your retirement savings goal is important, you should also pay attention to how your money is accumulating over your working years so you don\u2019t fall behind.<\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\"><strong>Learn More: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gobankingrates.com\/retirement\/401k\/financial-expert-shares-top-mistake-americans-make-with-their-401k\/?hyperlink_type=manual&amp;utm_term=related_link_1&amp;utm_campaign=1313117&amp;utm_source=yahoo.com&amp;utm_content=2&amp;utm_medium=rss\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:I\u2019m a Financial Expert \u2014 This Is the No. 1 Mistake Americans Make With Their 401(k);elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">I\u2019m a Financial Expert \u2014 This Is the No. 1 Mistake Americans Make With Their 401(k)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\"><strong>Consider This: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gobankingrates.com\/saving-money\/savings-advice\/warren-buffett-things-poor-people-waste-money-on\/?hyperlink_type=manual&amp;utm_term=related_link_2&amp;utm_campaign=1313117&amp;utm_source=yahoo.com&amp;utm_content=3&amp;utm_medium=rss\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Warren Buffett: 10 Things Poor People Waste Money On;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Warren Buffett: 10 Things Poor People Waste Money On<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\">A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=OrzxVhgY8CI\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:recent YouTube video;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">recent YouTube video<\/a> from financial YouTuber Humphrey Yang discussed 401(k) account balances by age based on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=OrzxVhgY8CI\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Vanguard \u201cHow America Saves 2025\u201d report;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Vanguard \u201cHow America Saves 2025\u201d report<\/a>. Find out how your savings stack up and get tips to get and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gobankingrates.com\/retirement\/planning\/reasons-shouldnt-panic-if-off-track-retirement-savings\/?hyperlink_type=manual&amp;utm_term=incontent_link_2&amp;utm_campaign=1313117&amp;utm_source=yahoo.com&amp;utm_content=4&amp;utm_medium=rss\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:stay on track for retirement;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">stay on track for retirement<\/a>.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"yf-1woyvo2\">\n<li class=\"yf-1woyvo2\">\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\"><strong>Median account balance<\/strong>: $1,948<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"yf-1woyvo2\">\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\"><strong>Average account balance<\/strong>: $6,899<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\">Yang discussed how retirement plan balances tend to be the lowest for people younger than 25 since they\u2019re new to their careers and have had little time to contribute. The Vanguard data also showed that just 8.2% of employees in this age group made voluntary plan contributions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\">While Yang didn\u2019t suggest a specific amount to have by this age, he recommended contributing to a 401(k) as soon as possible, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gobankingrates.com\/retirement\/401k\/401k-match\/?hyperlink_type=manual&amp;utm_term=incontent_link_3&amp;utm_campaign=1313117&amp;utm_source=yahoo.com&amp;utm_content=5&amp;utm_medium=rss\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:getting any available employer matches;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">getting any available employer matches<\/a> and properly controlling your finances. By starting young, you\u2019ll have more time for contributions and gains to add up, making it easier to meet your retirement savings goal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\"><strong>Check Out: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gobankingrates.com\/retirement\/planning\/key-signs-youll-run-out-of-retirement-funds-too-early\/?hyperlink_type=manual&amp;utm_term=related_link_3&amp;utm_campaign=1313117&amp;utm_source=yahoo.com&amp;utm_content=6&amp;utm_medium=rss\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:6 Key Signs You\u2019ll Run Out of Retirement Funds Too Early;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">6 Key Signs You\u2019ll Run Out of Retirement Funds Too Early<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul class=\"yf-1woyvo2\">\n<li class=\"yf-1woyvo2\">\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\"><strong>Median account balance<\/strong>: $16,255<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"yf-1woyvo2\">\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\"><strong>Average account balance<\/strong>: $42,640<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\">At this stage, Americans are more settled into their careers and have had more time for their account balances to grow. The Vanguard data also showed that 82% of workers in this age group participated in 401(k) plans.<\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\">Yang\u2019s advice was to avoid lifestyle inflation, prepare your finances for major purchases and lower your expenses so you can contribute 15% or more of your income. He added that a 20% savings rate may help you retire in 37 years, while an even higher rate is smart if you have an early retirement goal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\">If you can increase your income, that helps to further speed up your progress.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"yf-1woyvo2\">\n<li class=\"yf-1woyvo2\">\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\"><strong>Median account balance<\/strong>: $39,958<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"yf-1woyvo2\">\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\"><strong>Average account balance<\/strong>: $103,552<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\">As your 401(k) balance keeps growing from ages 35 to 44, it\u2019s important to think about your planned retirement age. Yang suggested looking at your family situation and finances to decide whether an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gobankingrates.com\/retirement\/planning\/how-to-retire-early\/?hyperlink_type=manual&amp;utm_term=incontent_link_4&amp;utm_campaign=1313117&amp;utm_source=yahoo.com&amp;utm_content=7&amp;utm_medium=rss\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:early retirement;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">early retirement<\/a> is realistic. For example, that\u2019s likely easier for a couple with two incomes and extra margin than for a single person living in survival mode.<\/p>\n<p> Story Continues <\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\">Offering a general target, Yang said, \u201cOne good goal to have at this age range is to have around three to four times your annual salary saved for retirement by the time you\u2019re 44.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\">He also suggested becoming debt-free (except for your mortgage) and contributing to your retirement at a higher rate. If you think you\u2019ve fallen behind or you want to see how changing your annual contributions would shorten your time to retirement, try running through some scenarios using a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.investor.gov\/financial-tools-calculators\/calculators\/compound-interest-calculator\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:compound interest calculator;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">compound interest calculator<\/a>.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"yf-1woyvo2\">\n<li class=\"yf-1woyvo2\">\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\"><strong>Median account balance<\/strong>: $67,796<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"yf-1woyvo2\">\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\"><strong>Average account balance<\/strong>: $188,643<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\">Yang discussed how Vanguard\u2019s data showed a mediocre contribution rate for this age group and encouraged saving at a higher rate to reach your retirement savings goal. He also cited <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fidelity.com\/viewpoints\/retirement\/how-much-do-i-need-to-retire\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Fidelity\u2019s target;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Fidelity\u2019s target<\/a> of stashing away seven times your yearly income by the time you turn 55.<\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\">Since this is a key time to set yourself up for financial security, Yang advised paying your mortgage off, which will leave you with extra cash to invest and reduce your financial strain. You should also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gobankingrates.com\/money\/financial-planning\/warren-buffett-offers-estate-planning-advice-to-middle-class\/?hyperlink_type=manual&amp;utm_term=incontent_link_5&amp;utm_campaign=1313117&amp;utm_source=yahoo.com&amp;utm_content=8&amp;utm_medium=rss\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:address estate planning;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">address estate planning<\/a> and know what you plan to spend in retirement.<\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\">While Fidelity offers income replacement ratio suggestions, Yang advised, \u201cThe better guideline, in my opinion, is just to figure out what your annual spending is, especially pre-retirement, and discount it by 20% as a conservative estimate.\u201d<\/p>\n<ul class=\"yf-1woyvo2\">\n<li class=\"yf-1woyvo2\">\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\"><strong>Median account balance<\/strong>: $95,642<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"yf-1woyvo2\">\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\"><strong>Average account balance<\/strong>: $271,320<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\">A common retirement savings target is 10 times your income by age 65. But Yang explained that Vanguard\u2019s reported 401(k) balances fall short for people aged 55 to 64 who seek a comfortable retirement, unless they also have sufficient funds in other retirement accounts.<\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\">He recommended looking more into retirement withdrawal rates so you can tell whether your balance has you on track. If possible, increase the amount you\u2019re saving to catch up or at least have a bigger cushion to supplement your Social Security and other income sources.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"yf-1woyvo2\">\n<li class=\"yf-1woyvo2\">\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\"><strong>Median account balance<\/strong>: $95,425<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"yf-1woyvo2\">\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\"><strong>Average account balance<\/strong>: $299,442<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\">The Vanguard data showed that the 401(k) account balances didn\u2019t grow as significantly for Americans who are of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gobankingrates.com\/retirement\/planning\/most-realistic-retirement-age-every-state-2\/?hyperlink_type=manual&amp;utm_term=incontent_link_6&amp;utm_campaign=1313117&amp;utm_source=yahoo.com&amp;utm_content=9&amp;utm_medium=rss\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:retirement age;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">retirement age<\/a>. Keep in mind they\u2019ll typically also decline with age due to withdrawals.<\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\">While Yang didn\u2019t address specific strategies to stretch your retirement savings, you can consider options like claiming Social Security later to get larger payments, finding a part-time job or downsizing your lifestyle.<\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\">You\u2019ll also want to carefully consider your withdrawal rate, which <a href=\"https:\/\/www.schwab.com\/learn\/story\/beyond-4-rule-how-much-can-you-spend-retirement\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Charles Schwab;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Charles Schwab<\/a> suggested could range from 4.2% to 10.9%, depending on your time horizon and asset allocation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\"><strong>More From GOBankingRates<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-1090901\">This article originally appeared on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gobankingrates.com?utm_term=bottom_link&amp;utm_campaign=1313117&amp;utm_source=yahoo.com&amp;utm_content=14&amp;utm_medium=rss\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:GOBankingRates.com;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">GOBankingRates.com<\/a>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gobankingrates.com\/retirement\/401k\/humphrey-yang-how-much-in-401k-2025\/?utm_term=source_link&amp;utm_campaign=1313117&amp;utm_source=yahoo.com&amp;utm_content=15&amp;utm_medium=rss\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Humphrey Yang: Here\u2019s How Much You Should Have in Your 401(k) in 2025;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Humphrey Yang: Here\u2019s How Much You Should Have in Your 401(k) in 2025<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"An April 2025 Gallup poll found that 59% of Americans had funds in retirement accounts, such as 401(k)&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":12676,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[177],"tags":[11967,11966,79,18,11965,19,17,234,235,4036,11968],"class_list":{"0":"post-12675","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-personal-finance","8":"tag-account-balance","9":"tag-account-balances","10":"tag-business","11":"tag-eire","12":"tag-humphrey-yang","13":"tag-ie","14":"tag-ireland","15":"tag-personal-finance","16":"tag-personalfinance","17":"tag-retirement-savings","18":"tag-yang"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12675","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12675"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12675\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12676"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12675"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12675"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12675"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}