Planning to Retire

The Million-Dollar Question

By Emily Brandon

Posted: May 9, 2008

My last post said many millionaires don't think $1 million is enough for a comfortable retirement. But most employees think they will need to save far less. The Employee Benefit Research Institute asked 1,057 workers how much in savings they thought was needed for retirement. Their answers:

Amount of Savings Needed for Retirement

  All Workers Men Women
Under $250,000 25 percent 22 percent 28 percent
$250,000-$499,999 16 17 16
$500,000-$999,999 23 25 21
$1 million-$1.49 million 9 11 7
$1.5 million or more 9 13 6
Don't know/Don't remember 12 6 18
Refused 2 1 3

Source: Employee Benefit Research Institute and Mathew Greenwald & Associates, 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interestingly, men were much more likely than women to say they needed $1 million or more to retire (24 percent versus 13 percent). And many more women admitted they didn't really know how much they need to save for retirement.

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Planning to Retire

Planning to Retire

Reporter Emily Brandon tells you how to get ready financially for retirement and to make your golden years the best they can be.

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