Retirement super-savers are on a path to a secure future, at least according to recent research. If you're hoping to leave the workforce with plenty of money invested to live a life of leisure, you may want to join them.
But what does it take to be a super-saver? Here's what you need to know.
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Retirement super-savers are doing two simple things
The term "retirement super savers" was coined by the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies. According to its research, 44% of workers who participate in a retirement plan fit this definition. Here's what you'd need to do to be one of them:
- Super-savers participate in a 401(k) or other tax-advantaged retirement plan.
- They save more than 10% of their annual pay -- though 15% of super savers contribute between 11% and 15% of earnings, and 29% sock away more than 15% into their retirement accounts.
People of all generations are among these super-savers, but those in Generation Z are actually the most likely to belong to this group. In total, 53% of Gen Z, 44% of millennials, 40% of Gen Xers and 44% of baby boomers are investing more than 10% of their income in retirement plans.
These individuals are still in the minority, though, as 56% of all workers who participate in retirement plans contribute less than 10% of their earnings.
How can you become a super-saver?
Becoming a super-saver is both easy and difficult at the same time. It takes only two steps to do, so that part isn't complicated. You just need to sign up for a workplace 401(k) or open an IRA if you don't already have one. Then you need to start regularly and consistently putting more than 10% of your earnings into that account.
This is where the difficult part comes in. You must free up that much money to put aside for your future if you aren't already investing it. Depending on just how much you're saving now, this could mean making some pretty big lifestyle changes. After all, if you're currently saving 0% or 4% or even 6% or 8% of your income, increasing that rate to save more than 10% could seem out of reach.
The good news is, you don't necessarily have to do it all at once. It would be ideal if you could, though: The sooner you begin investing for your future, the easier it will be to achieve your goals, thanks to the power of compound growth.
If you do want to dramatically increase your savings rate quickly, a big lifestyle change -- such as downgrading to a cheaper home or car -- could help you do it. Unlike slashing many different expenses from your budget, this is a change you only have to make once, and it will have an outsized impact.
If a big lifestyle change can't happen, though, start to inch up your savings rate as much as you can over time until you hit your target. If you're contributing 4% of your income to your 401(k) today, ask your human resources (HR) department to change that amount to 5%. The difference will probably be small enough that you can accommodate it. Then in a few weeks or months, ask to move up to contributing 6%. Keep inching those contributions up until you truly can't do it any more.
If you get a raise, you can also divert it directly to your retirement plan, since you aren't used to having those funds anyway. This can make a big difference over time, as you'll effortlessly increase your savings rate.
Before you start heavily investing for your future, you do want to make sure you don't have high-interest debt, and that you have an emergency fund in place. But, once you've checked those tasks off your list, there's no reason not to try to join the ranks of super-savers. When you reach retirement, the nest egg you've built will give you the peace of mind you deserve.
