Average Stock Portfolio for People in Their 60s in 2025—What It Means and Why It’s Important

Core Insights - Many Americans are concerned about whether their investment portfolios will provide sufficient income for retirement, with over 80% of those in their 60s invested in retirement plans, but only about 35% holding brokerage accounts [1] Investment Portfolio Data - For households aged 55-64, the median balance of directly held stocks is approximately $30,000, while pooled investment funds outside retirement accounts have a median of about $300,000. For those aged 65-74, these medians are about $65,000 and $250,000 respectively, indicating a typical taxable portfolio in the low- to mid-six figures [1] - In the second quarter of 2025, self-directed brokerage accounts within workplace retirement plans averaged around $362,000 [2] - Baby Boomers (ages 61 to 79 in 2025) have the largest average balances at about $599,000, while Gen X investors average about $379,000, reflecting a more engaged investor demographic [3] Retirement Account Balances - Typical defined-contribution retirement account balances for age groups are as follows: for ages 55-64, the average is $271,320, and for ages 65+, it is $299,442 [4] - Average IRA balances for Baby Boomers are reported at $257,000 in 2025, with many individuals holding both a 401(k) and an IRA [6] Average vs. Median Balances - The average balances are significantly higher than the median due to a small number of large accounts skewing the average upward, making the median a more representative figure for most Americans [5] - For individuals in their 60s, retirement accounts typically hold more than $300,000 in stocks on average, but the median balance is closer to about $100,000 [7]