Can you retire on $700k?
$700k can last you for at least 35 years in retirement if your annual spending remains around $40,000.
However, it will also depend on how old you are when you retire and how much you plan to spend each month as a retiree.
| Initial savings | Annual spending | Enough? | Ending balance after 25 years | Required initial savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | Yes | $518,755 | $613,077 | |
| $50,000 | No | $213,511 | $775,385 | |
| $700,000 | $60,000 | No | -$91,733 | $937,692 |
| $70,000 | No | -$396,977 | $1,100,000 | |
| $80,000 | No | -$702,222 | $1,262,308 |
Calculate if $700k is enough for your retirement
Your retirement outcome depends on more than just your savings.
It also varies by your age, contributions, investment growth, and lifestyle.
Use the calculator below to see how much you could have by the time you retire and whether $700,000 will be enough to last through retirement.
How does $700,000 compare to most people?
As you can see in the chart below, if you have $700,000 to retire with, it puts you somewhere between the 80th and 90th percentile of US retirees.
How long will $700k last in retirement?
Assuming an average annual return of 6% before taxes and a 22% federal tax rate, the table below offers a detailed breakdown of how long $700k can last across various annual spending scenarios:
| Annual spend | Years it will last | Total interest | Total withdrawal | Total taxes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | 32 | $1,440,000 | $960,000 | $211,200 |
| $40,000 | 24 | $1,260,000 | $960,000 | $211,200 |
| $50,000 | 19 | $1,140,000 | $950,000 | $209,000 |
| $60,000 | 15 | $900,000 | $900,000 | $198,000 |
| $70,000 | 12 | $720,000 | $840,000 | $184,800 |
| $80,000 | 10 | $600,000 | $800,000 | $176,000 |
Retirement plans, annuities, and Social Security benefits should all be considered alongside the figure you have sitting in savings, and you should also bear in mind that expenses as a retiree tend to be low.
Can I retire on $700k plus Social Security?
With $700,000 in personal savings, plus income from Social Security payments, you have a solid foundation to work with.
However, there are still variables to consider.
Additionally, with average life expectancies continuing to increase, your retirement savings may need to last 25 years or more.
It's important to calculate all these variables, project future returns, and define your must-have retirement goals before deciding if $700k is truly enough for you.
What income tax do you pay on $700,000?
When working through your later-life financial checklist to prepare for retirement, you must consider how taxes will factor in.
You’ll need to know how much they will reduce your final amount of accessible income.
With $700,000 in savings, your tax bill still won’t likely be exorbitant, especially if you withdraw funds gradually over 20+ years.
Your liability will come down to:
Your filing status (single filer, head of household, married filing jointly, etc.)
Where you live (different states have different tax rules)
Where your retirement income is from (rules differ based on source)
Your total annual income
If you have a traditional pre-tax IRA, distributions will be taxed. But if you have an after-tax Roth IRA, you’ve already paid taxes on contributions, so you can withdraw tax-free.
Here’s an example:
You retire at 65, and your goal is for your savings to last 20 years. Spreading $700,000 over 20 years means monthly withdrawals of $2,917 and an annual income of $35,000. This would place you in the 22% federal income tax bracket for a single filer.
Can you retire at 50 with $700k?
It’s certainly possible to retire early at 50 with $700,000 in savings.
The key will be controlling expenses, utilizing tax-advantaged accounts strategically, having supplemental income sources if possible, and ensuring you have health insurance coverage in place.
With proper planning and discipline, though, many find $700k is an adequate amount to retire on at 50.
"Securing a comfortable retirement means proactively diversifying your savings through plans like 401(k) and IRAs, carefully timing your social security benefits and considering long-term care planning.
Regularly reviewing your investment strategy, especially as retirement nears, is vital to balance risk with income needs. Addressing these practical steps early can make a significant difference in achieving the retirement lifestyle you've envisioned."
3 routes to increased savings
You may now want to figure out how to increase your savings, growing that $700,000 to $800,000 or more to give yourself some additional breathing room. Some extra disposable income as a retiree. Our best recommendations are as follows:
Adjust your monthly budget and save where possible: Try to avoid regularly spending your money on unnecessary things that matter less to you, in the grand scheme of things, than a happy and comfortable retirement. Set achievable lifestyle and financial goals with proper consideration of your future self. Cut back where you can, and redirect that money where it can be better used.
Build a varied portfolio of investments, seeking expert advice: A solid and stable investment portfolio comprising several types of securities could be very helpful to you, significantly boosting your savings and improving your retirement. If you don’t know where to begin, speak with an expert financial advisor to get started on your journey into investing.
Find the right retirement and pension products: Many different savings accounts and products are available that can be helpful to you as a retiree. Annuities, for example, convert your savings into a guaranteed monthly income for a given period. This period could be the rest of your life if you purchase an annuity with a lifetime income rider.
The bottom line
If you’ve managed to save $700k for retirement, this is a viable savings for your post-work life.
This will guarantee you a valuable degree of security and comfort in your later years, and it’s a figure many will never reach
For retirement planning advice and investment guidance, it is highly recommended to connect with an experienced financial advisor.
They can guide you through the daunting world of retirement planning and lead you to success.