My Savings Tripled Over 25 Years—Is That Good Enough for Retirement?

Key Takeaways Tripling your money over 25 years works out to just 4.5% annually, about half what a basic S&P 500 index fund would have returned. Retirement readiness comes down to whether your savings and income sources can cover your spending for as long as you live. It isn’t defined by a single number or growth rate, but by whether your savings and income sources can sustainably support your personal spending needs. Tripling your money sounds impressive—until you do the math. Over 25 years, tha ...