

A 2019 analysis of more than 30 million retirement accounts by Fidelity Investments found that the average balance in corporate-sponsored 401(k) plans at the end of 2018 was $95,600. For traditional, Roth, and rollover IRAs, the figure was $98,400. And for 403(b)s and other defined-contribution retirement plans in the non-profit sector, it was $78,700. Those numbers were down about 7.5% to 8% on average from the same quarter of the previous year, due largely to a downturn in the stock markets in late 2018.

Key Takeaways







The higher their level of education, the more money people are likely to have set aside for retirement, as well. For those with a high school education or less, the estimated median was $36,000. For those with some college or trade school it was $51,000. For college graduates it was $154,000. People with graduate degrees or some grad school had saved even more, for a median of $225,000.



Advisor Insight

Financial Planning Solutions, LLC, Newton, MA

A better question to ask would be: "How much will I need in retirement?" Everyone is different. Some might need $100,000 a year to live in retirement, others more or less depending on their lifestyle requirements. If a so-called expert says you need a nest egg of $1,000,000 or $2,000,000 and they know nothing about you, then this is inaccurate.
