How to Boost Retirement Savings with the $1,000-a-Month Rule - Slavic401k (2024)

  • 401k plans, personal finance, savings, wealth management

Saving for retirement comes in many shapes and sizes, and strategies are not one-size-fits-all. Having a successful and beneficial retirement plan requires research, adjustments, and work from the participant.

Having a set-it-and-forget-it mindset when saving for retirement will only go so far. That’s why it’s important to try new approaches to make your money grow and work for you in the future. One example is the $1,000/month rule. Created by Wes Moss, a Certified Financial Planner, this strategy helps individuals visualize how much savings they should have in retirement. According to Moss, you should plan to have $240,000 saved for every $1,000 of disposable income in retirement.

As a general rule of thumb, you will withdraw approximately 5% of your retirement income every year for expenses. The Balance breaks down the numbers below:

Start with $240,000 and multiply it by 5%, which equals $12,000. Next, divide $12,000 by 12 months, which totals $1,000 per month.

Moss notes that this strategy is a rule of thumb, and depending on factors such as inflation, the stock market, Social Security, pensions, part-time work, and more, the total will vary throughout your lifetime.

Adjusting the Rule

Like most things in life, there are exceptions to the $1,000/month rule. For example, some people retire earlier than others, and some retire after the age of 62. Your retirement age will determine how much you should plan to withdraw each month, and will, therefore, impact the rule.

Someone who retires early in their 50s will have to withdraw smaller amounts each month for their retirement savings to last longer, and someone retiring after the age of 62 can afford to increase their spending.

Everyone – regardless of age – will have to watch market conditions and adjust accordingly as well. For example, years that experience high inflation will change the value of your dollar and require assessment and adjustment. The Balance notes that market changes will require individuals to adapt and change consistently, so be mindful of economic conditions.

Setting Yourself Up for Success

Knowing that your strategy will continuously change throughout your life, and adjusting as needed, is key to a successful retirement plan. While 5% withdrawals every year will last approximately 20 years for the average participant, many will need funds for a longer period.

Investing, rather than only storing money in a savings account, can help your dollars stretch longer and puts your money to work for you. Some examples of supplemental savings include:

  • Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs): These accounts can be opened online through financial institutions like Fidelity and can easily be managed at your fingertips. The IRS sets contribution maximums for retirement accounts on an annual basis, and in 2024 the limits are listed as $7,000 for a Traditional IRA and $8,000 for those over the age of 50. If you can maximize these accounts every year, you can significantly improve your retirement savings for the future.
  • Health Savings Account (HSA): As you age, your health expenses will likely increase. Having an HSA can help you plan and cover those increasing costs with a tax-deductible account. In 2023, the contribution maximum was $3,850 for individuals and $7,750 for families. For participants over the age of 55, an extra $1,000 is added for catch-up contributions. By maximizing these accounts early, you will have health expenses covered in the future that won’t impact other areas of retirement savings, such as 401(k) plans, IRAs, and regular savings accounts.

Having a diverse savings strategy can help you pad current and future economic downturns, protecting cash and investments that can be used in retirement. Learn about the importance of diversifying your investments on the Slavic401k blog.

While saving for retirement does not have a one-size-fits-all approach, utilizing different methods, such as the $1,000/month rule, can help you reach your goals. Remember that saving, maximizing contributions, and planning will look different at various stages in your life, and utilizing resources like retirement calculators, can help you keep yourself on track financially.

Check out Slavic401k’s diverse catalog of calculators, including a retirement nest egg calculator and retirement planner calculator.

Related Articles

Quarterly Market Commentary, April 2024

This quarter, the economy surprise most observers and analysts alike. Learn what caused the upswing and where the market might be headed next in our quarterly market commentary.

401(k) Plan Benefits: 10 Advantages of Enrolling

There are many 401(k) plan benefits. In this post we’ll discuss 10 advantages of enrolling in your company’s plan.

The stock market plays a crucial role in the global economy. Let’s break down the key components of the financial world and explore their differences.

Subscribe to the Slavic401k Blog

Be the first to know when new content is available.

How to Boost Retirement Savings with the $1,000-a-Month Rule - Slavic401k (2024)

FAQs

How to Boost Retirement Savings with the $1,000-a-Month Rule - Slavic401k? ›

As a general rule of thumb, you will withdraw approximately 5% of your retirement income every year for expenses. The Balance breaks down the numbers below: Start with $240,000 and multiply it by 5%, which equals $12,000. Next, divide $12,000 by 12 months, which totals $1,000 per month.

How much do I need in my 401k to get $1000 a month? ›

With the $1,000 per month rule, if you plan to withdraw 5% of your savings each year, you'll need at least $240,000 in savings. If you aim to take out $2,000 every month at a withdrawal rate of 5%, you'll need to set aside $480,000. For $3,000, you would aim to save $720,000.

Is $800,000 in 401k enough to retire? ›

If you have substantial income from sources like a pension and Social Security, an $800,000 portfolio could last for many years. That's especially true if your expenses are low and you don't have significant health care expenses.

How long will $300,000 last in 401k? ›

Summary. $300,000 can last for roughly 26 years if your average monthly spend is around $1,600. Social Security benefits help bolster your retirement income and make retiring on $300k even more accessible. It's often recommended to have 10-12 times your current income in savings by the time you retire.

Can I retire with $300000 in my 401k? ›

The short answer to this question is, “Yes, provided you are prepared to accept a modest standard of living.” To get an an idea of what a 60-year-old individual with a $300,000 nest egg faces, our list of factors to check includes estimates of their income, before and after starting to receive Social Security, as well ...

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 the average 401k balance at age 65? ›

Average and median 401(k) balances by age
Age rangeAverage balanceMedian balance
35-44$76,354$28,318
45-54$142,069$48,301
55-64$207,874$71,168
65+$232,710$70,620
2 more rows
Mar 13, 2024

How many people have $1000000 in their 401k? ›

If you have more than $1 million saved in retirement accounts, you are in the top 3% of retirees. According to EBRI estimates based on the latest Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances, 3.2% of retirees have over $1 million in their retirement accounts, while just 0.1% have $5 million or more.

What is the ideal 401k balance by age? ›

By age 40, you should have three times your annual salary already saved. By age 50, you should have six times your salary in an account. By age 60, you should have eight times your salary working for you. By age 67, your total savings total goal is 10 times the amount of your current annual salary.

How long will $500000 in 401k last at retirement? ›

Yes, it is possible to retire comfortably on $500k. This amount allows for an annual withdrawal of $20,000 from the age of 60 to 85, covering 25 years. If $20,000 a year, or $1,667 a month, meets your lifestyle needs, then $500k is enough for your retirement.

At what age should you have 100k in your 401k? ›

“By the time you hit 33 years old, you should have $100,000 saved somewhere,” he said, urging viewers that they can accomplish this goal. “Save 20 percent of your paycheck and let the market grow at 5% to 7% per year,” O'Leary said in the video.

How to retire at 60 with no money? ›

If you retire with no money, you'll have to consider ways to create income to pay your living expenses. That might include applying for Social Security retirement benefits, getting a reverse mortgage if you own a home, or starting a side hustle or part-time job to generate a steady paycheck.

Does 401k money double every 7 years? ›

One of those tools is known as the Rule 72. For example, let's say you have saved $50,000 and your 401(k) holdings historically has a rate of return of 8%. 72 divided by 8 equals 9 years until your investment is estimated to double to $100,000.

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.

What is a good monthly retirement income? ›

Average Monthly Retirement Income

According to data from the BLS, average 2022 incomes after taxes were as follows for older households: 65-74 years: $63,187 per year or $5,266 per month. 75 and older: $47,928 per year or $3,994 per month.

Can I retire on 500k plus Social Security? ›

Key takeaways: Most people in the U.S. retire with less than $1 million. $500,000 is a healthy nest egg to supplement Social Security and other income sources. Assuming a 4% withdrawal rate, $500,000 could provide $20,000/year of inflation-adjusted income.

How long will $500,000 in 401k last? ›

According to the 4% rule, if you retire with $500,000 in assets, you should be able to withdraw $20,000 per year for 30 years or more. Moreover, investing this money in an annuity could provide a guaranteed annual income of $24,688 for those retiring at 55.

Is $1,000 a month in 401k good? ›

As a rule of thumb, the sooner you start saving for retirement the better. If you start by contributing $1,000 a month to a retirement account at age 30 or younger, your savings could be worth more than $1 million by the time you retire.

How long will it take my 401k to reach $1 million? ›

How Long Will Becoming a 401(k) Millionaire Take? If you invested $23,000 into your 401(k) each year and earned a consistent 8% return each year, you'd achieve a plan balance of $1 million in slightly under 20 years. Note that this does not factor in a potential employer match.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Prof. An Powlowski

Last Updated:

Views: 6693

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (44 voted)

Reviews: 91% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Prof. An Powlowski

Birthday: 1992-09-29

Address: Apt. 994 8891 Orval Hill, Brittnyburgh, AZ 41023-0398

Phone: +26417467956738

Job: District Marketing Strategist

Hobby: Embroidery, Bodybuilding, Motor sports, Amateur radio, Wood carving, Whittling, Air sports

Introduction: My name is Prof. An Powlowski, I am a charming, helpful, attractive, good, graceful, thoughtful, vast person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.