The honest answer to "how much should I have saved" involves two numbers most people never see side by side: the benchmark, and what people actually have — and the gap between them is larger than most assume, which is itself useful context.

The Benchmark vs. the Median

Fidelity's benchmark: 1x salary by 30, 3x by 40, 6x by 50, 8x by 60, 10x by 67. The 2026 median tells a different story: workers aged 35-44 have a median $45,000 saved — against a $225,000 target on a $75,000 salary. Ages 45-54 median $115,000 — against a $510,000 target on an $85,000 salary. The average 401(k) balance was $167,970, but the median was just $44,115 — the average is skewed upward by a smaller number of very large accounts, making median the more realistic comparison point.

A nuance worth flagging: If you're behind the benchmark — and the data shows most people are — that's not a signal to panic or give up, it's a signal to focus on savings rate rather than catching up to an arbitrary multiple. A 25-year-old contributing 15% of income consistently will likely outperform someone who started later trying to hit "6x by 50" through higher-risk bets to catch up.

Someone Significantly Behind the Benchmark: The realistic move is increasing your savings rate starting now, not trying to time a catch-up — the median data shows you're not alone, and panic-driven high-risk investing to "catch up" usually backfires.

Someone Ahead of or On Pace With the Benchmark: Worth confirming your investment mix still matches your timeline and risk tolerance — being ahead doesn't mean the plan runs on autopilot from here.

Check Your Position

  1. Calculate your current savings as a multiple of your salary.
  2. Compare against the benchmark for your age — but use it as a compass, not a verdict.
  3. Focus on your savings rate (% of income saved) as the more actionable lever than the balance itself.

See the emergency fund guide for the savings priority that should come before long-term investing.