Fidelity, Vanguard Put 45-54 401(k) Balances Near $215,700 as Medians Trail Below $115,700
Updated
Updated · The Motley Fool · Aug 15
Fidelity, Vanguard Put 45-54 401(k) Balances Near $215,700 as Medians Trail Below $115,700
1 articles · Updated · The Motley Fool · Aug 15
Summary
Fidelity said 50- to 54-year-old 401(k) participants held an average $215,700 at the end of the first quarter, while 45- to 49-year-olds averaged $163,200.
Vanguard's comparable figure for 45- to 54-year-old participants was $214,991, and the Federal Reserve's latest 2022 snapshot put total retirement savings for that age group at an average $313,220.
Median balances were far lower, underscoring how a small number of large accounts lift averages: Vanguard reported a $78,730 median 401(k) balance, and the Fed showed a $115,700 median across retirement savings.
The gap suggests many households hold savings outside workplace plans—likely IRAs—and that peer benchmarks are more useful as planning prompts than as hard targets.