How Many Americans Retire With a Million Dollars?

Rebecca Lake  Wed, May 17, 2023

Saving $1 million (or more) for retirement is a great goal to have. Putting that much aside could make it easier to live your preferred lifestyle when you retire, without having to worry about running short of money. However, not a huge percentage of retirees end up having that much money. In fact, statistically, around 10% of retirees have $1 million or more in savings. The majority of retirees, however, have far less saved. If you’re looking to be in the minority but aren’t sure how to get started on that savings goal, consider working with a financial advisor.

What Does the Average Retiree Have Saved?

The Federal Reserve’s Survey of Consumer Finances tracks retirement savings data for different age groups in the U.S. According to the most recent survey that was completed in 2019, the average retirement savings by age breaks down like this:

$426,000 for those aged 65 to 74

$357,000 for those aged 75 and older

As you can see, those numbers are well below the $1 million mark. They represent how much the average person 65 and up have saved in retirement accounts, including 401(k) plans and Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs).

If you look at median figures, the numbers change even more. The median represents the middle number in a group of numbers. The Federal Reserve data shows that 65 to 74-year-olds have a median of $164,000 in their retirement accounts while those 75 and older have $83,000 saved for retirement.

These numbers are from 2019 and may not reflect any retirement gains (or losses) retirees have experienced in the last few years. The next Survey of Consumer Finances is set to be released sometime in 2023 and it may paint a very different picture of retiree savings with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and higher inflation factored in.

What Is the Average Retiree’s Net Worth?

Net worth is a measurement of your assets against your liabilities. A higher net worth indicates that you have more assets than debts and that’s a good thing when it comes to retirement.

In terms of the average retiree’s net worth, the Federal Reserve data puts it at approximately $1.2 million for those aged 65 to 74. The average net worth drops to $958,000 for those aged 75 and older. The data measures a variety of assets and debts, including:

Retirement accounts  Bank account balances   Certificate of deposit accounts  Savings bonds  Stock holdings  Cash value life insurance  Managed assets  Business equity  Unrealized capital gains  Primary mortgage debt  Home equity loans and lines of credit  Student loans  Vehicle loans  Credit cards  Other installment debt

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https://finance.yahoo.com/news/many-americans-retire-million-dollars-140019814.html