1.) John saved $800 a month for retirement beginning at age 25 and stopped once he turned 40.
2.) John saved $800 a month for retirement beginning at age 35 and stopped once he turned 50.
3.) John saved $800 a month for retirement beginning at age 45 and stopped once he turned 60.
In all three scenarios, after John stopped contributing, he kept his money in the account until he retired at 67.
All three of these investors invested $144,000 over a 15 year period.
| Beginning Age | Balance at Retirement |
|---|---|
| Starts at 25 | $1,363,136 |
| Starts at 35 | $663,651 |
| Starts at 45 | $370,579 |
I know saving this much per month may seem like a lot and hard to reach, but it could be easier than you know it. Most companies offer a match on your 401K contributions and it is always good to take advantage of this free money. If your employer matches up to 3% of your contributions, then you should be maxing this out and investing at least 3% in your 401K. This would result in a total contribution of 6%.
While there is potential for losses, there’s a bigger potential for long-term gains. Compounding interest is the best tool that a young investor has and you should take advantage of it.