Nearly 50% of Americans Have Less Than $500 in Savings (2024)

FAQs

Nearly 50% of Americans Have Less Than $500 in Savings? ›

A recent survey of over 1,000 Americans found that nearly 50% have $500 or less in their savings accounts. Additionally, 60% reported having $500 or less in their checking accounts.

Nearly Half of Americans Don't Have $500 in Savings

According to the survey, 49% of Americans have $500 or less in their savings account, with 36% reporting they have less than $100 saved up. This means that a small financial upset can cause these households to end up in debt — or more debt.

Nearly one in three (30 percent) people in 2023 had some emergency savings, but not enough to cover three months of expenses. This is up from 27 percent of people in 2022. Note: Not all percentages total 100 due to rounding. Also, nearly one in four (22 percent) U.S. adults said they have no emergency savings.

The study surveyed more than 1,000 U.S. adults about their long-term savings, and the results were alarming: 28% had absolutely nothing saved for retirement.

Twenty-six percent had saved more than $100,000, and 9% had more than $500,000. These percentages were only somewhat higher for older people. Those ages 50 to 54 were the most likely to have a retirement account. About 63% in this age group had any savings, and 35% had saved more than $100,000.

Fewer than half of Americans, 44%, say they can afford to pay a $1,000 emergency expense from their savings, according to Bankrate's survey of more than 1,000 respondents conducted in December. That is up from 43% in 2023, yet level when compared to 2022.

The above chart shows that U.S. residents 35 and under have an average of $30,170 in retirement savings; those 35 to 44 have an average $131,950; those 45 to 54 have an average $254,720; those 55 to 64 have an average $408,420; those 65 to 74 have an average $426,070; and those over 70 have an average $357,920.

14% of Americans Have $100,000 Saved for Retirement

Most Americans are not saving enough for retirement. According to the survey, only 14% of Americans have $100,000 or more saved in their retirement accounts. In fact, about 78% of Americans have $50,000 or less saved for retirement.

You can still live a fulfilling life as a retiree with little to no savings. It just may look different than you originally planned. With a little pre-planning, relying on Social Security income and making lifestyle modifications—you may be able to meet your retirement needs.

Can I retire at 65 with $750 000? ›

The income from a $750,000 annuity varies with age. For instance, a 65-year-old might receive an annual payout of $59,000, whereas an 80-year-old could get $75,000 annually. Annuities calculate payouts based on several factors, including the recipient's age, to determine the annual income.

How long will $1 million in retirement savings last? In more than 20 U.S. states, a million-dollar nest egg can cover retirees' living expenses for at least 20 years, a new analysis shows. It's worth noting that most Americans are nowhere near having that much money socked away.

“With a nest egg of $100,000, that would only cover two years of expenses without considering any additional income sources like Social Security,” Ross explained. “So, while it's not impossible, it would likely require a very frugal lifestyle and additional income streams to be comfortable.”

According to USA Facts, most American households have at least $1,000 in checking or savings accounts. However, only 12% have more than $100,000 in both accounts.

The Fed's most recent numbers show the average savings for the age group that includes 25-year-olds is $20,540. The median savings is $5,400. Having relatively modest savings in your 20s is nothing unusual if you are still in college or have recently graduated.

The poll also found that among those who have been saving for retirement, 6.7% have saved between $10,000 and $49,999, 12.6% have saved between $50,000 and $99,999, 12% have saved between $100,000 and $199,999, 9.9% have saved between $200,000 and $299,999 and 16.5% have saved $300,000 or more.