If you're currently living a frugal lifestyle and don't have any plans to change that after you leave the workforce, $3 million is likely more than enough. But if you hope to keep your big house and nice cars and travel widely, $3 million might not be enough.
A $3 million portfolio will likely be enough to allow a retired couple to spend reasonably and invest with moderate caution without any worries of running out of money. However, if expenses rise too high, it's entirely possible to drain a $3 million portfolio in well under 30 years.
If you retire at age 65 and expect to live to the average life expectancy of 79 years, your three million would need to last for about 14 years. However, if you retire at 55 and expect to live to the average life expectancy, your nest egg would need to last for about 24 years.
The quick answer is yes. With three million dollars, you should be able to retire comfortably if you retire in your 60s. Depending on your cost of living and number of dependents, you can retire with three million dollars at a younger age if you wish and if you are able.
Is $4 million enough to retire at 65? For most people, the answer is yes. But there are a lot of considerations and a good deal of planning to retire, regardless of how much you've saved. Everyone has different needs when they retire.
The good news: As long as you plan carefully, $3 million should be a comfortable amount to retire on at 55.
And, while life expectancy can be estimated, no one knows for certain how long they will live. As a result, they can only approximate how long their nest egg will need to last. Retiring at age 45 with $3 million is quite feasible if you already have the money and your post-retirement income needs are not excessive.
There are roughly 5,671,005 households with $3 million or more in America, 4.41% of all US households.
The ASFA Retirement Standard Explainer says a comfortable retirement lifestyle would need $640,000 in super for a couple, or $545,000 for a single person.
SmartAsset: Is $2.5 million enough to retire at 65? For most people, it will be little or no problem to retire at age 65 if they have $2.5 million in savings.
Today, to be a real millionaire, you will need much more than $1 million. With $3 million, you can withdraw at a more appropriate 3% or 4% rate and generate $90,000 – $120,000 a year. $90,000 – $120,000 a year still isn't living a rich lifestyle. But it's above the real median household income of roughly $75,000.
Bond interest rates vary widely, but an investor can expect to receive between 2% and 5% interest each year. This results in income of $60,000 to $150,000 per year on a $3 million portfolio.
The Bottom Line
Retirement planning can be scary and there are a lot of what-ifs and unknowns. But with some wise planning, you can rest assured that $4 million will last you the rest of your life. You may want to work with a financial advisor to see how much you'll need and when the right time to retire is for you.
To some people, $3 million will sound like a lot. You probably think $3 million is enough to retire if you're among that crowd. But retiring with $3 million at 65 can last depending on your longevity, lifestyle and other factors.
In fact, statistically, around 10% of retirees have $1 million or more in savings. The majority of retirees, however, have far less saved.
Being rich currently means having a net worth of about $2.2 million. However, this number fluctuates over time, and you can measure wealth according to your financial priorities. As a result, healthy financial habits, like spending less than you make, are critical to becoming wealthy, no matter your definition.
A helpful cost of living benchmark prepared quarterly by the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA), shows an average single person needs approximately $595,000 in superannuation before retiring, while a couple requires around $690,000.
According to the Australian Superannuation Fund Association's (ASFA's) Retirement Standard1, to enjoy a comfortable retirement, singles need $595,000 in savings at retirement (aged 67) to generate a yearly income of $50,004. Similarly, couples need $690,000 at retirement to generate $70,482 a year.
According to The Kickass Entrepreneur, there are about 5,671,000 households in the U.S. that have a net worth of $3 million or more.
According to Schwab's 2023 Modern Wealth Survey, its seventh annual, Americans said it takes an average net worth of $2.2 million to qualify a person as being wealthy. (Net worth is the sum of your assets minus your liabilities.)
It suggests a $690,000 super balance for a couple, or a $595,000 balance for a single person, should provide a comfortable retirement, assuming the age pension will also come into play.
While the cost of living varies from place to place, a nest egg this size would likely give more than enough money for decades of comfortable living. Even if you live another 50 years, $5 million in savings would allow you to live on $100,000 per year.