Real-Life Budgets Series: Early Retirement with a Child in College - The (mostly) Simple Life (2024)

FAQs

What is a realistic budget for retirement? ›

The rule of thumb is that you can expect your expenses to be 70% to 80% of what they were before you retired. So if you spent $1,000 each month before you retired, you could expect to spend about $700 to $800 each month in retirement.

A 2022 survey by the Employee Benefit and Retirement Institute (EBRI) found that half of individuals around retirement age spend less than $2,000 per month, equal to less than $24,000 per year. The Social Security Administration, meanwhile, said 2020 median expenditures for people 65 and older totaled $34,088.

Cons of retiring early include a strain on savings, and a depressing effect on mental health. There may be ways to chart a middle course: cutting back on work without fully retiring.

Invest wisely

Within your investment accounts, you might allocate funds to stocks, bonds, mutual funds and other investments. Investing a high percentage of your income every month — and starting to do that as early as possible — enables substantial growth in your savings, making early retirement achievable.

This upsurge—to nobody's surprise—was fueled by a 6.5% inflation rate in 2022 (per the BLS). Retiree households saw increases across all major categories, with housing expenses representing the largest one (dollars-wise) followed by transportation and food expenditures.

One rule of thumb is that you'll need 70% of your pre-retirement yearly salary to live comfortably. That might be enough if you've paid off your mortgage and are in excellent health when you kiss the office good-bye.

A good monthly retirement income is typically 80% of pre-retirement income; advisors often suggest a range between 70% and a more conservative 90%. Median income for households headed by someone over 65 was $50,290, or $4,191 per month, in 2022 according to the U.S. Census Bureau. U.S. Census Bureau.

Average Retirement Spending

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average income of someone 65 and older in 2021 was $55,335, and the average expenses were $52,141, or $4,345 per month.

According to data from the Federal Reserve's most recent Survey of Consumer Finances, the average 65 to 74-year-old has a little over $426,000 saved. That's money that's specifically set aside in retirement accounts, including 401(k) plans and IRAs.

Age may be just a number, but that number matters when it comes to retiring. The common definition of early retirement is any age before 65 — that's when you may qualify for Medicare benefits. Currently, men retire at an average age of 64, while for women the average retirement age is 62.

How to retire at 60 with no money? ›

Get a Part-Time Job or Side Hustle. If you're contemplating retirement with no savings, then you may need to find ways to make more money. Getting a part-time job or starting a side hustle are two ways to earn money in your spare time without being locked into a full-time position.

One of the most striking revelations from the review was that early retirement—defined as retiring before the statutory retirement age—did not appear to increase the risk of dying earlier compared to those who worked until the retirement age.

According to the $1,000 per month rule, retirees can receive $1,000 per month if they withdraw 5% annually for every $240,000 they have set aside. For example, if you aim to take out $2,000 per month, you'll need to set aside $480,000. For $3,000 per month, you would need to save $720,000, and so on.

Everyone isn't going to want to spend $10,000 net a month in retirement. For some people, that will be way more than they need each month. For others, it might not be enough. And there might be some people that spending $10,000 net a month in retirement is just right.

By age 40, you should have accumulated three times your current income for retirement. By retirement age, it should be 10 to 12 times your income at that time to be reasonably confident that you'll have enough funds. Seamless transition — roughly 80% of your pre-retirement income.

However, it may help you to know that according to recent Motley Fool research, the average American aged 65 and over spends $48,872 a year. As such, if you have access to a $50,000 annual income in retirement, it may be enough to cover your expenses.

Yes, it is possible to retire comfortably on $500k. This amount allows for an annual withdrawal of $30,000 and below from the age of 60 to 85, covering 25 years. If $20,000 a year, or $1,667 a month, meets your lifestyle needs, then $500k is enough for your retirement.