The 10% Savings Goal
Most people need to save more — often a lot more — to build a nest egg that can meet their needs. Many financial experts recommend putting away 10 to 15 percent of your pay for retirement. There’s a relatively painless way to reach that goal.
TAKE SMALL STEPS
- Begin by contributing enough to receive your employer’s matching contribution
- Consider gradually raising your contribution amount to 10 percent or higher
- Raise your plan contributions once a year by an amount that’s easy to handle, on a date that’s easy to remember—say, 2 percent on your birthday. Thanks to the power of compounding (the earnings on your earnings), even small, regular increases in your plan contributions can make a big difference over time.