See your savings as a multiple of your salary, what Fidelity's widely used guideline suggests for your age, and the monthly saving that would reach the next milestone.
The benchmark
Fidelity suggests saving at least 1× your salary by 30, 3× by 40, 6× by 50, 8× by 60 and 10× by 67. Its guideline assumes you save 15% of income a year starting at 25 (employer match included), retire at 67, invest more than half in stocks on average, and need savings to replace about 45% of your pre-retirement income, with Social Security covering much of the rest.
Between milestones, Calcist draws a straight line. At 35, halfway from 30 to 40, the benchmark is halfway from 1× to 3×, so 2×. Because the guideline starts saving at 25, the line starts at 0× at 25.
Your multiple = savings ÷ salary Benchmark at age a = m₁ + (m₂ − m₁) × (a − a₁) ÷ (a₂ − a₁)
The monthly saving to reach the next milestone uses the future value of your current savings plus end-of-month deposits:
Monthly = (target − S(1 + i)ⁿ) × i ÷ ((1 + i)ⁿ − 1) i = (1 + r)1/12 − 1
Worked example
You're 35, earn $80,000 and have $120,000 saved: 1.5× your salary. The benchmark at 35 is 2×, or $160,000. The next milestone is 3× by 40, $240,000. At 5% a year, saving about $1,280.66 a month for 5 years would get you there.
Limitations
This is a rule of thumb, not a verdict.
- It doesn't know your plans. A pension, a paid-off home, a later retirement date or lower spending can all mean you need less.
- A high earner may need more, because Social Security replaces a smaller share of a high salary.
- Starting later is common, and higher saving later can make up ground. Use how much do I need to retire for a target based on your own spending.
A planning estimate, not financial, tax or investment advice. Every assumption is listed under the result.
Sources
How we checked this
Before every update, this calculator is run in a real browser with these known answers, and it must match all of them:
- $120,000 saved on an $80,000 salary is 1.5× salary ✓
- At 35 the benchmark is halfway from 1× to 3×: 2× = $160,000 ✓
- Reaching 3× by 40 takes $1,280.66 a month at 5% ✓
- Age 63, $90,000 salary: benchmark $797,143; 0% return needs $6,250 a month ✓
- Age 22: first milestone is 1× by 30, $278.28 a month from $5,000 ✓
- Age 70 is past the last milestone ✓
- At 67 and below 10×: no 'catch up later' wording ✓
Last checked October 26, 2026. Spotted something wrong? The math is done in your browser with the formula shown on this page, so you can check any result by hand.
Questions people ask
How much should I have saved for retirement by 30?
Fidelity's guideline is about 1× your salary by 30. On a $60,000 salary, that's $60,000.
How much should I have saved by 40?
About 3× your salary, according to Fidelity's guideline. On $80,000, that's $240,000.
How much should I have saved by 50 and 60?
About 6× your salary by 50 and 8× by 60, reaching 10× by 67.
What if I'm behind?
Many people are, especially early on. Raising your saving rate, using catch-up contributions after 50 and working a few years longer all help. The calculator shows the monthly amount that reaches your next milestone.
Does the salary multiple include my home or Social Security?
No. It counts retirement savings and investments. Social Security is already part of the guideline's assumptions, and home equity isn't counted.