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Median 401k average by age

Under 25 - $2,800 25 to 34 - $15,000 35 to 44 - $36,000 4...
coral cracking milk
  05/13/25
how do people afford to live in this country? the math reall...
dark piazza
  05/13/25
the math ain't mathing frfr
Razzmatazz Business Firm
  05/13/25
when gen x and beyond really start retiring en masse, there ...
Ultramarine doctorate stag film
  05/13/25
Most people have all cash bu$ine$$e$ and make bank while dum...
thriller lavender mood black woman
  05/13/25
Ouch
Spectacular Immigrant
  05/13/25
https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724466&mc=1&am...
aphrodisiac lodge striped hyena
  05/13/25
...
Big bronze dilemma
  05/14/25
These sites massively overestimate the cost of "retirem...
Pontificating Outnumbered Water Buffalo Knife
  05/13/25
that might be true, but it makes sense that "they"...
Razzmatazz Business Firm
  05/14/25
it depends largely on whether or not you own a house my d...
Vigorous know-it-all pit corn cake
  05/14/25
Every prole I know regards SS as a retirement account. It&rs...
turquoise queen of the night spot
  05/14/25
and cost of living isnt changing as a result of manic QE dur...
sapphire embarrassed to the bone halford old irish cottage
  05/14/25
Cr. I know people that have very little cash and just use so...
deep genital piercing
  05/14/25
The other thing I am always suspicious of with these statist...
arrogant base
  05/20/25
I feel like most people I interact with have vast amounts of...
gold crawly boiling water
  05/20/25
thats cuz u gay
Vigorous know-it-all pit corn cake
  05/20/25
401k = fraud
Appetizing Pistol Gunner
  05/13/25
wowza
Transparent national security agency
  05/13/25
I’m mid-40s and I don’t even have a 401(k)
zombie-like factory reset button associate
  05/13/25
Do you have 1,000,000k in Schwab or something
Mischievous partner
  05/13/25
He has millions and millions and pretends to be poor as a sc...
histrionic roast beef property
  05/13/25
Jfc why are people so poor.
opaque stimulating famous landscape painting
  05/13/25
Maybe don’t elect politicians bought by billioniares?
Spectacular Immigrant
  05/14/25
Jobs pay shit
canary orchestra pit roommate
  05/14/25
This stuff should be funded automatically and irrevocably an...
Mischievous partner
  05/13/25
Is this a flame stat? Most people are going to roll their 40...
well-lubricated senate regret
  05/14/25
Yeah, I have only about $150k in my current 401k, but I swit...
beta range mad cow disease
  05/14/25
Lmao. Yeah the average Walmart worker has $450k in his old e...
fragrant bonkers den liquid oxygen
  05/14/25
You sound shit with money, if you make even just $200K you s...
well-lubricated senate regret
  05/14/25
I have kids
fragrant bonkers den liquid oxygen
  05/14/25
? Even if you have "kids" you are still eligible t...
well-lubricated senate regret
  05/20/25
Cr
arrogant base
  05/20/25
Even if that were the case, it probably wouldn't affect the ...
Mischievous partner
  05/14/25
Sure it would, because they're looking at the median account...
well-lubricated senate regret
  05/14/25
That wouldn't matter in the real data set imo. also it's eas...
Mischievous partner
  05/14/25
yeah, every account he listed is over every single one of th...
Odious mint hospital filthpig
  05/20/25
Here’s the report. I doubt what you’re saying ha...
Talented Stock Car
  05/14/25
What does this mean for Liberals like us?
Mischievous partner
  05/14/25
...
turquoise queen of the night spot
  05/14/25
...
Vigorous know-it-all pit corn cake
  05/14/25
...
Mischievous partner
  05/14/25
...
Big bronze dilemma
  05/14/25
...
Mischievous partner
  05/14/25
even though the counterarguments ITT suck, I still believe t...
Odious mint hospital filthpig
  05/20/25
Most people contribute just enough to get the match if at al...
Mischievous partner
  05/20/25
100% true and accurate post. If only you knew how bad th...
Rebellious site
  05/20/25
he does know obviously, as do I. IDK why people are pretendi...
turquoise queen of the night spot
  05/20/25
I have no idea if they are counting people with no 401k in t...
Mewling Beady-eyed Half-breed
  05/20/25
The numbers are usually e.g. from fidelity you idiot. It&rsq...
Mischievous partner
  05/20/25


Poast new message in this thread



Reply Favorite

Date: May 13th, 2025 10:49 PM
Author: coral cracking milk

Under 25 - $2,800

25 to 34 - $15,000

35 to 44 - $36,000

45 to 54 - $61,000

55 to 64 - $87,000

Over 65 - $88,000

Per Vanguard's 2024 report

https://x.com/grok/status/1922262989551632557

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48928613)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 13th, 2025 10:51 PM
Author: dark piazza

how do people afford to live in this country? the math really doesn't work out.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48928618)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 13th, 2025 10:52 PM
Author: Razzmatazz Business Firm

the math ain't mathing frfr

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48928627)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 13th, 2025 11:24 PM
Author: Ultramarine doctorate stag film

when gen x and beyond really start retiring en masse, there is going to be a legitimate crisis. assuming the world hasn’t already been upended by ai.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48928760)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 13th, 2025 11:25 PM
Author: thriller lavender mood black woman

Most people have all cash bu$ine$$e$ and make bank while dumb lawyers pay 45% of their income in taxes and hand the rest over to their shrew wives

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48928766)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 13th, 2025 11:41 PM
Author: Spectacular Immigrant

Ouch

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48928828)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 13th, 2025 11:25 PM
Author: aphrodisiac lodge striped hyena

https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724466&mc=1&forum_id=2

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48928768)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 14th, 2025 4:17 PM
Author: Big bronze dilemma



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48930819)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 13th, 2025 11:29 PM
Author: Pontificating Outnumbered Water Buffalo Knife

These sites massively overestimate the cost of "retirement" - most older people

1. Have paid off or at least low mortgage homes

2. Get social security

3. Continue to work and have some income

4. Don't have dependents and have pretty low expenses

The idea that you need to have enough 401k to be able to match your current $300k salary for 30 years doing no work is just 401k propaganda.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48928789)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 14th, 2025 8:50 AM
Author: Razzmatazz Business Firm

that might be true, but it makes sense that "they" would overstate what you need in retirement. but that is irrelevant to the OP. if someone is 50 years old and has $88k or whatever saved for retirement, they are in a very bad situation.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48929307)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 14th, 2025 8:53 AM
Author: Vigorous know-it-all pit corn cake

it depends largely on whether or not you own a house

my dad is worth negative dollars but the house is paid off and he basically has no expenses beyond food and medicine so he can completely live off social security

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48929316)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 14th, 2025 9:05 AM
Author: turquoise queen of the night spot

Every prole I know regards SS as a retirement account. It’s ignominious but they have low standards and don’t care.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48929341)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 14th, 2025 10:57 AM
Author: sapphire embarrassed to the bone halford old irish cottage

and cost of living isnt changing as a result of manic QE during covid (a trend initiated in 2008) right?

groceries will still cost $100/wk in 20 years?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48929646)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 14th, 2025 10:18 AM
Author: deep genital piercing

Cr. I know people that have very little cash and just use social security and reverse mortgage their house. You don't need to leave anything to your kids lmao

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48929528)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 20th, 2025 7:39 AM
Author: arrogant base

The other thing I am always suspicious of with these statistics is that I suspect they don’t aggregate multiple accounts. The average office worker today has a 401k plus three different rollover Ira’s from prior jerbs often held by different custodians.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48946574)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 20th, 2025 8:20 AM
Author: gold crawly boiling water

I feel like most people I interact with have vast amounts of generational wealth and then the rest just Yolo credit card it. Few people I know are like me and work for every penny they have and I feel stupid for choosing this route a lot of times.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48946614)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 20th, 2025 8:52 AM
Author: Vigorous know-it-all pit corn cake

thats cuz u gay

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48946650)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 13th, 2025 10:51 PM
Author: Appetizing Pistol Gunner

401k = fraud

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48928620)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 13th, 2025 11:20 PM
Author: Transparent national security agency

wowza

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48928726)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 13th, 2025 11:30 PM
Author: zombie-like factory reset button associate

I’m mid-40s and I don’t even have a 401(k)

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48928792)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 13th, 2025 11:50 PM
Author: Mischievous partner

Do you have 1,000,000k in Schwab or something

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48928841)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 13th, 2025 11:54 PM
Author: histrionic roast beef property

He has millions and millions and pretends to be poor as a schtick

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48928843)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 13th, 2025 11:32 PM
Author: opaque stimulating famous landscape painting

Jfc why are people so poor.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48928804)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 14th, 2025 10:16 AM
Author: Spectacular Immigrant

Maybe don’t elect politicians bought by billioniares?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48929524)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 14th, 2025 4:55 PM
Author: canary orchestra pit roommate

Jobs pay shit

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48930956)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 13th, 2025 11:45 PM
Author: Mischievous partner

This stuff should be funded automatically and irrevocably and at the lower of like 17% of salary or 30k/yr. This way there’d be fewer destitute property support and Houses/Cars/mcdonalds wouldn’t be so inflated. Fuck “freedom.” Proles need to be RULED.



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48928835)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 14th, 2025 9:11 AM
Author: well-lubricated senate regret

Is this a flame stat? Most people are going to roll their 401k into IRA's when they change jobs, so their 401k balance could be low even if they're millionaires. Or even if they just leave their old 401(k) in their old plan, instead of one person with 500,000 they may show up as a 300K and a 200K. We've done the scholarship on XO and everybody is a millionaire, so their net worth must be in something else.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48929355)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 14th, 2025 9:46 AM
Author: beta range mad cow disease

Yeah, I have only about $150k in my current 401k, but I switched jobs about five years ago. But I have $450k in a former employer's 401k. (This employer pays some of my health care expenses in retirement, but I lose that benefit if I roll over my 401k. It doesn't make sense to me, either, but I didn't roll it over for that reason.) I also have about $400k in Roth IRA's (some of which is money I rolled over from 401k's when I was younger). My wife also has about $200k in Roth IRA's and another $100k in her 401k. So if you only look at one of our accounts in a vacuum, it looks like we are fucked, but if you combine all of our accounts, we are in pretty solid shape.

TLDR: Median retirement balances are meaningless because most people have multiple accounts.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48929470)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 14th, 2025 10:19 AM
Author: fragrant bonkers den liquid oxygen

Lmao. Yeah the average Walmart worker has $450k in his old employers 401k. I make $200k a year which is shit yet there are plenty of people who make $80k. Even I have periods where I bought a house, etc where I lowered my 401k contribution to zero just to have the cash on hand. Lmao at a $80k employee having more in his 401k than $150k or so.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48929531)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 14th, 2025 10:34 AM
Author: well-lubricated senate regret

You sound shit with money, if you make even just $200K you should at least be maxing 401(k), IRA, HSA, and iBonds every year.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48929565)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 14th, 2025 10:49 AM
Author: fragrant bonkers den liquid oxygen

I have kids

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48929611)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 20th, 2025 2:05 AM
Author: well-lubricated senate regret

? Even if you have "kids" you are still eligible to contribute to the aforementioned accounts, friend!

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48946382)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 20th, 2025 7:41 AM
Author: arrogant base

Cr

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48946577)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 14th, 2025 10:25 AM
Author: Mischievous partner

Even if that were the case, it probably wouldn't affect the MEDIAN much imho.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48929543)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 14th, 2025 10:34 AM
Author: well-lubricated senate regret

Sure it would, because they're looking at the median account, not how much the median account holder actually has. To do a super simplified example, if everybody has $300K in their 401(k), then the median is $300K. But if everybody has three 401(k)'s of $100K each, the median is $100K despite them all having $300K.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48929564)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 14th, 2025 10:38 AM
Author: Mischievous partner

That wouldn't matter in the real data set imo. also it's easy to transfer 401ks.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48929577)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 20th, 2025 2:53 AM
Author: Odious mint hospital filthpig

yeah, every account he listed is over every single one of those medians above. so actually he and his wife helped boost the median like 6 times instead of 2 per his own analysis.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48946402)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 14th, 2025 11:31 AM
Author: Talented Stock Car

Here’s the report. I doubt what you’re saying has any impact. You can see in the data that the median length of time of participation is very short, the income subject to contribution (70k) not very high, and the amount that’s contributed each year is paltry (about a few thousand). Most people don’t start in a 401k job until they're practically mid-career and then they (and their employer) contribute next to nothing.

https://corporate.vanguard.com/content/dam/corp/research/pdf/how_america_saves_report_2024.pdf

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48929780)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 14th, 2025 12:22 PM
Author: Mischievous partner

What does this mean for Liberals like us?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48929937)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 14th, 2025 12:33 PM
Author: turquoise queen of the night spot



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48929971)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 14th, 2025 12:41 PM
Author: Vigorous know-it-all pit corn cake



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48930019)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 14th, 2025 1:11 PM
Author: Mischievous partner



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48930135)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 14th, 2025 4:16 PM
Author: Big bronze dilemma



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48930817)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 14th, 2025 4:32 PM
Author: Mischievous partner



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48930875)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 20th, 2025 2:54 AM
Author: Odious mint hospital filthpig

even though the counterarguments ITT suck, I still believe those numbers are flame. anyone who has had even a remotely white collar job or proles who have blue collar jobs who work for big companies (e.g., Amazon warehouse drone) will have stocks away enough + have compounding returns over the years to be above the medians listed.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48946403)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 20th, 2025 7:28 AM
Author: Mischievous partner

Most people contribute just enough to get the match if at all. And they’ll think they are shrewd and brag about it on reddit. Very few contribute anything between the contribution % required to get the match and the max of $23,000k/yr or whatever. The latter is OCI aces, shrewd Losers, and olds trying to play catchup.

Also once poors figure out that 401k loans exist or that they can withdraw the money and pay a penalty, it’s over.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48946567)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 20th, 2025 8:56 AM
Author: Rebellious site

100% true and accurate post.

If only you knew how bad things really are.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48946659)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 20th, 2025 9:21 AM
Author: turquoise queen of the night spot

he does know obviously, as do I. IDK why people are pretending that there's some turnaround in the future of the US, it's utterly over.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48946684)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 20th, 2025 7:50 AM
Author: Mewling Beady-eyed Half-breed

I have no idea if they are counting people with no 401k in the average or by '401k' they mean literal 401k's and not other investment accounts (my literal 401k is only like $130k now because I rolled all my previous 401k's into IRA's.) so who the fuck even knows. But if they are counting no 401k mo's then that will drop the average pretty hard since rich people still have contribution limits.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48946588)



Reply Favorite

Date: May 20th, 2025 7:54 AM
Author: Mischievous partner

The numbers are usually e.g. from fidelity you idiot. It’s like Bank of America telling you the average account balance.



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5724688&forum_id=2],#48946596)