Saved $1 million for retirement? Here's where your money will last the longest around the U.S. (2024)

Retirement saving tips in your 20s and 30s

Americans looking to stretch their retirement savings may want to head to states in the South or the Midwest, a recent analysis suggests.

Around the U.S., a $1 million nest egg can cover an average of 18.9 years worth of living expenses, GoBankingRates found. But where you retire can have a profound impact on how far your money goes, ranging from as a little as 10 years in Hawaii to more than than 20 years in more than a dozen states.

Tapping government data, the personal finance site estimated the number of years retirees aged 65 or older could live off $1 million in savings based on the cost of housing, transportation, utilities, health care and groceries in each of the 50 U.S. states.

The key finding: Retirees can get the biggest bang for their buck in Mississippi, where the combined cost of food, utilities, housing, health care and other essentials is $44,000 per year. Saving of $1 million in the state would last you nearly 23 years, the personal finance site said.

By contrast, retirees in Hawaii — where the annual living costs are roughly $97,000, or more than double those of retirees in Mississippi — will burn through $ 1 million in just over 10 years, according to GoBankingRates.

It's worth noting that most Americans are nowhere near having that much money socked away. According to data from financial services firm Credit Karma, Baby boomers have median retirement savings of $120,000, while nearly 30% of people aged 59 or older have saved nothing for their golden years.

That's despite the fact that many retirements now last more than 25 years, according to financial services firm Fidelity. Those meager savings also fall well below the $1.8 million in savings Americans say they need to live out their golden years comfortably, according to a recent Charles Schwab poll.

Elizabeth Napolitano

Saved $1 million for retirement? Here's where your money will last the longest around the U.S. (2)

Elizabeth Napolitano is a freelance reporter at CBS MoneyWatch, where she covers business and technology news. She also writes for CoinDesk. Before joining CBS, she interned at NBC News' BizTech Unit and worked on The Associated Press' web scraping team.

Saved $1 million for retirement? Here's where your money will last the longest around the U.S. (2024)

FAQs

Saved $1 million for retirement? Here's where your money will last the longest around the U.S.? ›

The key finding: Retirees can get the biggest bang for their buck in Mississippi, where the combined cost of food, utilities, housing, health care and other essentials is $44,000 per year. Saving of $1 million in the state would last you nearly 23 years, the personal finance site said.

How many Americans have $1 million saved for retirement? ›

In fact, statistically, around 10% of retirees have $1 million or more in savings. The majority of retirees, however, have far less saved.

What does a $1 million dollar retirement look like? ›

A $1 million retirement account gives you around $40,000 per year for the first few years of your retirement. Once Social Security kicks in, this will give you on average anywhere from $65,000 to $95,000 per year depending on your lifetime earnings and when you began collecting benefits.

What is the average 401k balance for a 65 year old? ›

$232,710

How much do most American have saved for retirement? ›

What is the average and median retirement savings? The average retirement savings for all families is $333,940 according to the 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances.

How long will $1 million dollars last in retirement? ›

Around the U.S., a $1 million nest egg can cover an average of 18.9 years worth of living expenses, GoBankingRates found. But where you retire can have a profound impact on how far your money goes, ranging from as a little as 10 years in Hawaii to more than than 20 years in more than a dozen states.

Can you live off interest of $1 million dollars? ›

Once you have $1 million in assets, you can look seriously at living entirely off the returns of a portfolio. After all, the S&P 500 alone averages 10% returns per year. Setting aside taxes and down-year investment portfolio management, a $1 million index fund could provide $100,000 annually.

How much does a $1000000 annuity pay per month? ›

If you purchase your $1,000,000 annuity between the ages of 60 – 70 and start taking payments immediately then you can expect to receive between $4,500 and $6,500 per month for the rest of your life or for the time period of your annuity payout.

How long does $1 million last after 60? ›

A recent analysis determined that a $1 million retirement nest egg may only last about 20 years depending on what state you live in. Based on this, if you retire at age 65 and live until you turn 84, $1 million will probably be enough retirement savings for you.

How many people have $2000000 in savings? ›

Per the Federal Reserve about 6% of households have over $2,000,000 in wealth in 2020. Several good answers already posted. According to the link below, household net worth of $1.2 million is the top 10%, $2.6 million is top 5%, $11.1 million is the top 1%.

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.

What is a good 401k balance at age 60? ›

Fidelity says by age 60 you should have eight times your current salary saved up. So, if you're earning $100,000 by then, your 401(k) balance should be $800,000.

Can I retire at 60 with 300k? ›

£300k in a pension isn't a huge amount to retire on at the fairly young age of 60, but it's possible for certain lifestyles depending on how your pension fund performs while you're retired and how much you need to live on.

What is the average Social Security check? ›

Social Security offers a monthly benefit check to many kinds of recipients. As of December 2023, the average check is $1,767.03, according to the Social Security Administration – but that amount can differ drastically depending on the type of recipient. In fact, retirees typically make more than the overall average.

How many Americans live paycheck to paycheck? ›

A 2023 survey conducted by Payroll.org highlighted that 78% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, a 6% increase from the previous year. In other words, more than three-quarters of Americans struggle to save or invest after paying for their monthly expenses.

What does the average person retire with? ›

The Federal Reserve's most recent data reveals that the average American has $65,000 in retirement savings. By their retirement age, the average is estimated to be $255,200.

How many people have over $1 million in their 401k? ›

Fidelity Investments, one of the largest administrators of workplace plans, said it had 422,000 401(k) millionaires at the end of 2023, a nearly 21 percent increase from the third quarter. The number of IRA millionaires hit a record 391,562 in the fourth quarter, about 40 percent higher than a year earlier.

What percentage of Americans have a net worth of over $1000000? ›

Additionally, statistics show that the top 2% of the United States population has a net worth of about $2.4 million. On the other hand, the top 5% wealthiest Americans have a net worth of just over $1 million. Therefore, about 2% of the population possesses enough wealth to meet the current definition of being rich.

How many US citizens have over $1 million dollars? ›

There are over 22 million people in the U.S. that are millionaires. There are approximately 735 billionaires in the U.S.

How much money does the average American retire with? ›

Key findings. In 2022, the average (median) retirement savings for American households was $87,000. Median retirement savings for Americans younger than 35 was $18,800 as of 2022.

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