How Much Should Retirees Have Invested by Age 67?

Group 1 - Long-term budgeting for retirement is challenging due to the unpredictability of life and the difficulty in planning 30 years ahead [1] - Financial preparedness for retirement is crucial as costs typically rise over time, and there is no universal solution for savings [2] - Fidelity recommends specific savings benchmarks based on age, suggesting that individuals should save a multiple of their annual salary as they age [3][4] Group 2 - Fidelity's recommendations include saving the equivalent of one's salary by age 30, two times by age 35, eight times by age 60, and ten times by age 67 [5] - Current data indicates that many Americans are falling short of these savings goals, with inflation significantly impacting living costs [6] - Vanguard's 2025 report shows that the average 401(k) balance for Americans aged 65 and older is nearly $300,000, which is approximately 4.7 times the average U.S. salary, while the median balance is only $95,425 [7]