How are the 2025 target multiples chosen?

They’re based on a simplified adaptation of common provider benchmarks and internal modeling, updated for a 2025 context. They are illustrative, not official guidance from any specific company.

Should I include retirement accounts and taxable accounts together?

Yes, as long as the savings are earmarked for long-term goals. You can include both retirement and taxable investment accounts; just avoid double-counting or including short-term spending buckets.

What if I’m far behind the benchmark?

Being behind is a signal to review your plan, not a reason to panic. Consider increasing savings, adjusting retirement age, or reassessing spending needs, and consider working with a financial planner.

How often should I revisit this comparison?

Updating it once a year is usually enough to monitor progress without getting distracted by short-term market swings.

finance calculator

Savings Comparison (2025 Benchmark)

Compare your savings to an age-based 2025 benchmark using income multiples to see your gap or lead.

Results

Target savings multiple: 1.50
Target savings amount: $120,000
Your savings ÷ income: 1.88
Gap vs target (negative = behind): $30,000

How to use this calculator

Enter your age, annual income, and current total savings that you consider part of your long-term financial cushion.
We look up and interpolate an age-based target savings multiple appropriate for someone your age in 2025.
We multiply your income by this target multiple to compute a benchmark savings target.
We divide your actual savings by income to compute your savings-to-income ratio and compare it with the target multiple.
Review the dollar gap (positive or negative) and decide what adjustments, if any, you want to make to savings or goals.

Inputs explained

Age: Your current age. The benchmark savings multiple increases with age to reflect more years of earning and compounding.
Annual income: Your current gross annual income before taxes. If income fluctuates, consider using a multi-year average for a more stable target.
Total savings: Total amount in savings and investment accounts you treat as long-term reserves (cash, brokerage, retirement accounts). Exclude short-term emergency funds only if you prefer to benchmark long-term savings separately.
Target multiple: The age-based multiple of income used as a 2025 benchmark (for example, a few times income by mid-career and higher multiples closer to retirement).

How it works

We use an age-based table of target savings multiples that roughly scales with how many years you’ve had to save and how close you are to retirement.

For ages between table points, we interpolate to produce a smooth target multiple rather than abrupt jumps at specific birthdays.

Target savings are calculated as annual income × target multiple, giving a benchmark savings level for your age and income in 2025.

Your personal savings-to-income ratio is your current savings ÷ income; we compare this to the target multiple to gauge position.

The gap output (savings − target savings) shows how far ahead or behind the benchmark you are in dollar terms; negative values mean behind.

Formula

Target multiple = f(age) based on a 2025 benchmark table\nTarget savings = Income × Target multiple\nSavings-to-income = Savings ÷ Income\nGap = Savings − Target savings

When to use it

Quickly benchmarking how your savings compare to age-and-income-based 2025 expectations without building a full financial plan.
Helping couples or clients visualize whether they’re broadly ahead of or behind common savings rules of thumb.
Tracking your progress over multiple years to see if you’re closing the gap to benchmark targets as you age.
Stress-testing how changes in income, savings, or age (for example, planning to retire earlier or later) would shift your target and gap.
Using the benchmark as a conversation starter with a planner about whether your current savings rate is appropriate.

Tips & cautions

If your income just jumped significantly, consider averaging over the last few years to avoid a target that suddenly leaps upward.
Remember that benchmarks are averages, not mandates; people with pensions, inheritances, or very low spending may need less than the rule suggests.
If you are behind, focus on the actions you can control—raising savings rates, delaying large expenses, or pushing back retirement—rather than fixating on the gap.
Use this together with retirement-income and Social Security calculators to see whether being ahead of the benchmark truly supports your planned lifestyle.
Revisit the comparison once a year; markets and life changes can move your gap and multiple over time.
Relies on a simple age-based multiple; it is not constructed from current detailed census or survey microdata.
Does not adjust for pensions, geography, cost of living, household size, or specific investment allocations.
Provides only a snapshot; it does not model future savings, investment returns, inflation, or income changes.
May not be appropriate for extremely high or low incomes, or for people with very non-traditional retirement paths.

Worked examples

Age 40, income $80,000, savings $150,000

Assume the 2025 table suggests a target multiple of about 3× income at age 40.
Target savings = $80,000 × 3 = $240,000.
Savings-to-income = $150,000 ÷ $80,000 = 1.875×.
Gap = $150,000 − $240,000 = −$90,000, indicating you’re behind this benchmark by about $90,000.

Age 30, income $60,000, savings $70,000

Suppose the target multiple for age 30 is around 1× income.
Target savings = $60,000 × 1 = $60,000.
Savings-to-income = $70,000 ÷ $60,000 ≈ 1.17×.
Gap = $70,000 − $60,000 = +$10,000, meaning you’re slightly ahead of the rule-of-thumb target.

Age 55, income $120,000, savings $800,000

Assume the target multiple at age 55 is roughly 6× income.
Target savings = $120,000 × 6 = $720,000.
Savings-to-income = $800,000 ÷ $120,000 ≈ 6.67×.
Gap = $800,000 − $720,000 = +$80,000, indicating you are ahead of this benchmark in 2025.

Deep dive

Compare your savings to a 2025 age-based benchmark using income multiples and see your gap or lead in dollars.

Enter your age, income, and savings to find an age-appropriate savings target for 2025 and how far ahead or behind that benchmark you are.

Ideal for savers who want a quick progress check before diving into detailed retirement or financial planning.

FAQs

How are the 2025 target multiples chosen?: They’re based on a simplified adaptation of common provider benchmarks and internal modeling, updated for a 2025 context. They are illustrative, not official guidance from any specific company.
Should I include retirement accounts and taxable accounts together?: Yes, as long as the savings are earmarked for long-term goals. You can include both retirement and taxable investment accounts; just avoid double-counting or including short-term spending buckets.
What if I’m far behind the benchmark?: Being behind is a signal to review your plan, not a reason to panic. Consider increasing savings, adjusting retirement age, or reassessing spending needs, and consider working with a financial planner.
How often should I revisit this comparison?: Updating it once a year is usually enough to monitor progress without getting distracted by short-term market swings.

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This savings comparison calculator uses simplified 2025 age-based income multiples and is intended for education only. It is not a substitute for personalized financial planning and does not account for your specific retirement age, spending needs, taxes, investment risk, pensions, or healthcare costs. Consult up-to-date data and a qualified professional when making major financial decisions.