This is how much money is needed to ‘retire comfortably’ in California, study says (2024)

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This is how much money is needed to ‘retire comfortably’ in California, study says? ›

In a high-cost of living state such as California, you'll need to save more to make it through. Americans think they'll need $1.27 million to live a comfortable retirement, according to the 2023 Planning & Progress Study from life insurance company Northwestern Mutual. That's up from $1.25 million in 2022.

A retiree in California would need $90,399 annually to live comfortably during retirement. The annual retirement expenses would be $72,320, while the 20% comfort buffer adds an extra $18,080. While it costs nearly six figures to have a comfortable retirement in California, it costs even more in other states.

For retirees in California, the annual cost of living expenses would be $72,319.57, meaning a $1 million retirement fund would last for about 14 years. Retirement can often last 25 years or more, according to Fidelity.

Your money earns a 5% annual rate of return while inflation stays at 2.9%. Based on those numbers, $600,000 would be enough to last you 30 years in retirement. In fact, by age 92 you'd still have over $116,000 in savings.

At age 30, some financial professionals suggest accumulating the equivalent of your current annual income. By age 40, you should have accumulated three times your current income for retirement. By retirement age, it should be 10-12 times your income at that time to be reasonably confident that you'll have enough funds.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average income of someone 65 and older in 2021 was $55,335, and the average expenses were $52,141, or $4,345 per month.

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.

However, not a huge percentage of retirees end up having that much money. In fact, statistically, around 10% of retirees have $1 million or more in savings.

How Long Will $1 Million In Retirement Savings Last In Your State? A 65-year-old retiree living in California can expect $1 million in savings to last under 14 years, while that amount will last almost 21 years in Texas.

Instead, we look at spending needs and we can check on the withdrawal rate later. If you retire with $500k in assets, the 4% rule says that you should be able to withdraw $20,000 per year for a 30-year (or longer) retirement. So, if you retire at 60, the money should ideally last through age 90.

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

That means that even if you're not one of those lucky few who have $1 million or more socked away, you can still retire well, so long as you keep your monthly budget under $3,000 a month.

If you earn $75,000 per year, you can expect to receive $2,358 per month -- or about $28,300 annually -- from Social Security. While that alone might not be enough to continue living your current lifestyle, it will no doubt be a major contributor to your retirement income.

As we have established, retiring on $500k is entirely feasible. With the addition of Social Security benefits, the possibility of retiring with $500k becomes even more possible. In retirement, Social Security benefits can provide an additional $1,800 per month, on average.

A retiree in California would need $90,399 annually to live comfortably during retirement.

The short answer is yes, $500,000 is enough for many retirees. The question is how that will work out for you. With an income source like Social Security, modes spending, and a bit of good luck, this is feasible. And when two people in your household get Social Security or pension income, it's even easier.

Yes, it is indeed possible to retire comfortably on $600k. With an annual withdrawal of $40,000 from the age of 60 to 85, covering 25 years, this amount allows for a financially secure retirement.

“With a nest egg of $100,000, that would only cover two years of expenses without considering any additional income sources like Social Security,” Ross explained. “So, while it's not impossible, it would likely require a very frugal lifestyle and additional income streams to be comfortable.”