If you have annual expenses of $180,000, you can use the following methods to estimate the amount you might need in your 401(k) for retirement:
- Rule of 25: This guideline suggests you should save 25 times your anticipated annual expenses to fund retirement. Based on this, you would aim for $4,500,000 ($180,000 x 25) in your retirement savings.
- Considering other income sources: It's crucial to subtract other retirement income sources, like Social Security or pensions, from your total estimated annual expenses before applying the rule of 25. For example, if you anticipate receiving $30,000 annually from other sources, you would need to generate $150,000 ($180,000 - $30,000) from your 401(k) and other investments. Your savings target would then be $3,750,000 ($150,000 x 25).
- 4% Rule: This rule suggests withdrawing 4% of your retirement savings in the first year of retirement and adjusting for inflation each subsequent year. If you want to withdraw $180,000 in your first year, you would need $4,500,000 in your retirement account ($180,000 / 0.04).
