A widely cited set of benchmarks: roughly 1× your salary saved by 30, 3× by 40, 6× by 50, 10× by 67. They're rules of thumb, not guarantees — but they show whether you're on track. Educational only, not financial advice.
Because of compounding, a dollar invested at 25 can be worth far more at retirement than one invested at 35 — the early dollars have the most decades to grow. Time in the market usually beats the amount.
A common target is saving ~15% of income (including any employer match) for retirement. Start lower if you must, then raise it 1% each year or with every raise until you hit the target.
Increase your rate, capture the full employer match, use tax-advantaged accounts, and — if you're 50+ — catch-up contributions let you add more. Being behind is common and fixable; the worst move is not starting.
Get the full 401(k) match first, then a Roth IRA, then more 401(k) — the priority order in Roth IRA vs 401(k). Inside those, a low-cost index fund is a common core holding.
Your target depends on when you'll retire, your spending, and other income. Use the benchmarks to check direction, not to panic — consistent contributions over decades matter more than hitting an exact multiple this year.