Mean savings in retirement accounts of households age 26–67, by age group and birth cohort, 1989–2010 (2010 dollars)
| Year | b. 1931–1936 | b. 1937–1942 | b. 1943–1948 | b. 1949–1954 | b. 1955–1960 | b. 1961–1966 | b. 1967–1972 | b. 1973–1978 | b. 1979–1984 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26–31 | $6,696.04 | $10,319.47 | $10,861.75 | $11,550.74 | |||||
| 32–37 | $11,712.34 | $27,487.32 | $25,286.75 | $24,133.66 | |||||
| 38–43 | $21,386.70 | $44,867.03 | $50,578.92 | $45,229.66 | |||||
| 44–49 | $41,755.72 | $59,873.07 | $76,344.15 | $79,737.20 | |||||
| 50–55 | $70,614.76 | $85,260.06 | $120,227.73 | $129,432.96 | |||||
| 56–61 | $63,507.09 | $107,220.25 | $148,201.62 | $163,942.51 | |||||
| 62–67 | $106,266.65 | $139,332.60 | $195,313.72 |
Note: Retirement account savings include savings in 401(k) and other defined-contribution plans, IRAs (including employer-sponsored SEP IRAs and SIMPLE IRAs) and Keogh plans for small businesses. Except for the two oldest cohorts, the upper tip of each line represents 2010.
Source: Authors' analysis of Survey of Consumer Finance microdata