How much should I have saved by 30? The benchmark, the emergency fund, and the honest answer
There is a widely used answer – one year's salary by 30 – but it rests on assumptions worth knowing before you compare yourself with it.
The benchmark
The investment firm Fidelity publishes retirement savings guidelines expressed as multiples of your salary. It suggests aiming for at least 1× your salary by 30, 3× by 40, 6× by 50, 8× by 60 and 10× by 67.
| Age | Fidelity guideline | On a $55,000 salary | On a $75,000 salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 1× salary | $55,000 | $75,000 |
| 40 | 3× salary | $165,000 | $225,000 |
| 50 | 6× salary | $330,000 | $450,000 |
| 60 | 8× salary | $440,000 | $600,000 |
| 67 | 10× salary | $550,000 | $750,000 |
Salary figures are examples; the multiples are Fidelity's.
The assumptions matter: saving 15% of income every year from age 25 (employer match included), keeping more than half of savings in stocks, retiring at 67 and keeping your pre-retirement lifestyle. Fidelity itself calls the milestones aspirational and notes that the later you retire, the lower the multiple you need.
Before retirement: the emergency fund
The Federal Reserve's annual Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking (SHED) asks whether people could cover an unexpected $400 expense with cash or its equivalent. In the 2025 survey, published in May 2026, 63% of adults said they could – the same share as in 2024. Overall, 73% said they were "doing okay" or "living comfortably" financially, below the high of 78% in 2021.
Share of US adults, 2025. Source: Federal Reserve Board, SHED.
A common rule of thumb is to build three to six months of essential expenses in an easy-access account before investing heavily – it is what stops one bad month from turning into credit card debt.
If you are behind
- Take the full employer match first. It is part of the 15% in Fidelity's assumptions, and it is money you otherwise leave on the table.
- Raise your rate with every pay rise. Increasing contributions by one percentage point a year is easier than finding a large sum at once.
- Measure against yourself. The multiple is a direction, not a verdict: a later retirement or lower spending in retirement both reduce it.
