Which provider’s benchmarks does this follow?

The age-based multiples are inspired by common guidance from major retirement providers, but this tool uses a simplified model and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any specific company.

Should I include home equity or rental properties?

This calculator is primarily designed for liquid retirement accounts. If you plan to downsize or liquidate property to fund retirement, you may choose to include a portion of that value, but be consistent with how you treat it in other planning tools.

What if I plan to retire very early or very late?

Early retirees often need higher savings multiples because they fund more years without work. Later retirees may be comfortable with lower multiples. Use this benchmark as a rough guide, then build a custom plan based on your actual retirement age and spending.

How often should I check this ratio?

Once a year is usually enough. Checking too frequently can be discouraging because markets and incomes move around in the short term.

finance calculator

Retirement Asset to Salary Ratio

See how your retirement assets compare to income using an age-based target multiple, inspired by the TIAA-CREF-style benchmarks.

Results

Target assets multiple of income: 3.50
Target assets: $350,000
Your assets ÷ income: 3.50
Ahead of target? (1=yes,0=no): 1

How to use this calculator

Enter your current age, annual income, and total retirement assets (401(k), IRA, 403(b), etc.).
We look up and interpolate an age-based target multiple of income for someone at your age.
We multiply your income by this target multiple to estimate the total retirement assets suggested by the benchmark.
We divide your actual assets by your income to calculate your personal assets-to-income ratio.
Compare your ratio to the target and review whether this simple benchmark shows you as ahead of, roughly on track, or behind.

Inputs explained

Age: Your current age. The calculator uses this to pick an age-based savings multiple. It’s designed for working years, roughly ages 20–70.
Annual income: Your current gross annual income from work before taxes. Use a typical year, not a one-time spike or unusually low year if you want a stable benchmark.
Retirement assets: Total value of accounts earmarked for retirement (401(k), 403(b), IRA, Roth IRA, HSA if used for retirement, etc.). Exclude home equity unless you explicitly plan to downsize and invest proceeds.
Target multiples: A simplified age/multiple table inspired by widely cited provider guidance (for example, 1× income by 30, 3× by 40, 6× by 50, 8× by 60, and 10×+ by retirement).

How it works

We start from an age-based table of target savings multiples (for example, around 1× income by age 30, 3× by 40, 6× by 50, 8× by 60, and 10×+ by mid-60s).

For ages between table entries, we interpolate to find a smooth target multiple rather than jumping abruptly from one age bracket to the next.

Target assets are calculated as annual income × target multiple, giving a rough savings goal for someone at your age and income level.

Your personal assets-to-income ratio is your current retirement assets ÷ annual income. We compare this to the target multiple.

The ahead/behind flag simply checks whether your ratio meets or exceeds the target; it does not account for personal nuances or goals.

Formula

The calculator uses an age-to-multiple mapping (for example: 1× income by 30, 3× by 40, 6× by 50, 8× by 60, 10× by 67) and interpolates between points for intermediate ages.\n\nTarget multiple = f(age)\nTarget assets = Income × Target multiple\nYour ratio = Assets ÷ Income\nAhead? = 1 if Your ratio ≥ Target multiple, otherwise 0

When to use it

Quickly checking if your retirement savings are roughly on pace for your age and income without building a full financial plan.
Comparing your savings progress across years to see whether you are closing the gap to common benchmarks.
Helping partners or clients understand where they stand relative to simple rules of thumb before diving into deeper planning.
Stress-testing scenarios by adjusting income or assets (for example, a pay raise, job change, or big market move) to see how the ratio shifts.
Using this ratio as a conversation starter with a financial planner about whether you’re saving enough or need to adjust your retirement age or goals.

Tips & cautions

If you’re behind the benchmark, consider increasing savings rates, reducing spending, or planning to work a bit longer—but treat this as a signal, not a verdict.
If you’re ahead, use that as encouragement, but confirm with a detailed retirement projection that covers spending needs, taxes, and investment risk.
Remember that these rules of thumb assume typical retirement ages and moderate investment returns; early retirees or very conservative investors may need higher multiples.
Check your ratio every year or two rather than every week; retirement readiness is a long-term trend, not a daily metric.
Coordinate this benchmark with other tools, like Social Security estimates and retirement income calculators, for a fuller picture.
Based on a simplified age/multiple table; it does not account for your exact retirement age, spending level, or investment risk tolerance.
Does not model future investment returns, inflation, taxes, or Social Security—this is a snapshot benchmark, not a full Monte Carlo plan.
Assumes a traditional retirement model where you stop working around your 60s; non-traditional paths (early retirement, semi-retirement) require different assumptions.
May be less appropriate for very high incomes, very low incomes, or households with large pensions or other guaranteed income.

Worked examples

Age 45 with income of $100,000 and $350,000 saved

Assume the age-based table suggests a target of about 4× income at age 45.
Target assets = $100,000 × 4 = $400,000.
Your ratio = $350,000 ÷ $100,000 = 3.5×.
Interpretation: you’re a bit behind this benchmark, which may prompt higher savings or a check-in with a planner.

Age 35 with income of $80,000 and $120,000 saved

Suppose the table suggests around 2× income by age 35.
Target assets = $80,000 × 2 = $160,000.
Your ratio = $120,000 ÷ $80,000 = 1.5×.
Interpretation: you’re somewhat below the simple target, but you still have decades to catch up with higher contributions.

Age 60 with income of $120,000 and $1,200,000 saved

Assume a target multiple around 8× income by age 60.
Target assets = $120,000 × 8 = $960,000.
Your ratio = $1,200,000 ÷ $120,000 = 10×.
Interpretation: you’re ahead of the benchmark, but you should still verify that this covers your specific retirement budget and goals.

Deep dive

See if your retirement savings match common age-based income multiples with this quick retirement asset-to-salary ratio calculator.

Enter your age, income, and retirement assets to compare your savings to TIAA/Fidelity-style benchmarks and see whether you’re ahead or behind.

Use this rule-of-thumb check as a starting point for deeper retirement planning around spending needs, Social Security, and investment risk.

FAQs

Which provider’s benchmarks does this follow?: The age-based multiples are inspired by common guidance from major retirement providers, but this tool uses a simplified model and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any specific company.
Should I include home equity or rental properties?: This calculator is primarily designed for liquid retirement accounts. If you plan to downsize or liquidate property to fund retirement, you may choose to include a portion of that value, but be consistent with how you treat it in other planning tools.
What if I plan to retire very early or very late?: Early retirees often need higher savings multiples because they fund more years without work. Later retirees may be comfortable with lower multiples. Use this benchmark as a rough guide, then build a custom plan based on your actual retirement age and spending.
How often should I check this ratio?: Once a year is usually enough. Checking too frequently can be discouraging because markets and incomes move around in the short term.

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This retirement asset-to-salary ratio calculator is a rule-of-thumb benchmark only. It does not provide personalized financial advice and ignores many key factors such as specific retirement age, spending needs, Social Security, pensions, taxes, investment risk, and healthcare costs. Always consult a qualified financial professional before making major retirement decisions.