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

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.

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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.

What is the $1,000 a month rule for retirement? ›

What is the $1,000-a-month rule for retirement? The $1,000-a-month retirement rule says that you should save $240,000 for every $1,000 of monthly income you'll need in retirement. So, if you anticipate a $4,000 monthly budget when you retire, you should save $960,000 ($240,000 * 4).

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.

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

Can you retire at 50 with $800k? It is certainly possible to retire by age 50 with $800,000 in the bank, but you would need to adopt a relatively frugal lifestyle. Using the 4% safe withdrawal rule, you could take out $32,000 per year, or $2,667 monthly. This should sustain you for 25 years until age 75.

What is the average 401k balance at age 65? ›

$232,710

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

How long will $300,000 last in retirement? If you have $300,000 and withdraw 4% per year, that number could last you roughly 25 years. Thats $12,000, which is not enough to live on its own unless you have additional income like Social Security and own your own place. Luckily, that $300,000 can go up if you invest it.

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.

How much money do I need to generate $1000 a month? ›

Invest in Dividend Stocks

A stock portfolio focused on dividends can generate $1,000 per month or more in perpetual passive income, Mircea Iosif wrote on Medium. “For example, at a 4% dividend yield, you would need a portfolio worth $300,000.

Can a single person retire on $300000? ›

With $300,000 planned for your use as a retiree, a retirement age of 50, and an anticipated life expectancy of 85 years, you need that money to last you 35 years. This should mean that your yearly income is around $8,571, and your monthly payment is around $714.

Can I retire at 62 with $400,000 in 401k? ›

You can retire a little early on $400,000, but it won't be easy. If you have the option of working and saving for a few more years, it will give you a significantly more comfortable retirement.

How do I turn 500K into 1 million? ›

To go from $500,000 in assets to $1 million requires a 100% return—a level of performance very hard to achieve in less than six years. To go from $1 million to $2 million likewise requires 100% growth, but the next million after that requires only 50% growth (and then 33% and so on).

How many people have $1,000,000 in savings? ›

In fact, statistically, around 10% of retirees have $1 million or more in savings.

Is $6,000 a month good retirement? ›

With $6,000 a month, you have more money than the average retiree—Americans aged 65 and older generally spend roughly $4,000 a month—and therefore more options on where to live. Below, we list five spectacular places where you might consider spending your golden years.

How much should I have in a 401k at age 55? ›

By age 35, aim to save one to one-and-a-half times your current salary for retirement. By age 50, that goal is three-and-a-half to six times your salary. By age 60, your retirement savings goal may be six to 11-times your salary.

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.

How much money do I need to invest to make $1000 a month? ›

A stock portfolio focused on dividends can generate $1,000 per month or more in perpetual passive income, Mircea Iosif wrote on Medium. “For example, at a 4% dividend yield, you would need a portfolio worth $300,000.

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

With $300,000 planned for your use as a retiree, a retirement age of 50, and an anticipated life expectancy of 85 years, you need that money to last you 35 years. This should mean that your yearly income is around $8,571, and your monthly payment is around $714.

How much will a 401k grow in 20 years? ›

As a very basic example, if you had $5,000 in your 401(k) today, and it grew at an average rate of 5% per year, it would be worth $10,441 in 20 years—more than double. If you withdraw those funds early, however, you're not only facing a stiff tax penalty, you're losing all of that additional growth.

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