How much does the average American person have in the bank?
While the median bank account balance is $8,000, according to the latest SCF data, the average — or mean — balance is actually much higher, at $62,410.
The median account balance in 2019 was around $5,300, while the average account balance is around $41,600. This is the latest available data, as the Federal Reserve releases this survey every three years. The Fed plans to publish its 2022 survey data later this year.
| Marital status | Average checking account balance in 2022 | Median checking account balance in 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Married/living with partner | $22,557.60 | $4,500.00 |
| Not married or living with partner | $9,238.49 | $1,500.00 |
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of how much money you should have in your savings account. The standard recommendation is to have enough to cover three to six months' worth of basic expenses.
Most American households have at least $1,000 in checking or savings accounts. But only about 12% have more than $100,000 in checking and savings.
Here is the median and average checking account balances in the US, for Americans who have checking accounts: Median: $2,900. Average (Mean): $9,132.
But despite the larger pressures, they're not satisfied with their situation; 57% of respondents said the current state of their savings is stressing them out. Nearly one in four (22%) of U.S. adults have no emergency savings at all, Bankrate found—the second-lowest percentage in 13 years of polling.
More Than Half of Americans Have Less Than $10,000 Saved
Going up a little more, just 6% have between $100,001 and $200,000 saved. Few Americans have saved more than $300,000: 4% have between $350,001 and $500,000.
| Percentile of Income | Average Bank Account Balance |
|---|---|
| 90% to 100% | $111,600 |
| 80% to 89% | $33,800 |
| 60% to 79% | $15,760 |
| 40% to 59% | $7,400 |
Having $20,000 in a savings account is a good starting point if you want to create a sizable emergency fund. When the occasional rainy day comes along, you'll be financially prepared for it. Of course, $20,000 may only go so far if you find yourself in an extreme situation.
What is considered a large amount of money to a bank?
Depositing a big amount of cash that is $10,000 or more means your bank or credit union will report it to the federal government. The $10,000 threshold was created as part of the Bank Secrecy Act, passed by Congress in 1970, and adjusted with the Patriot Act in 2002.
In terms of savings accounts specifically, you'll likely find different estimates from different sources. The average American has $65,100 in savings — excluding retirement assets — according to Northwestern Mutual's 2023 Planning & Progress Study. That's a 5% increase over the $62,000 reported in 2022.
There's no one-size-fits-all number in your bank or investment account that means you've achieved this stability, but $100,000 is a good amount to aim for. For most people, it's not anywhere near enough to retire on, but accumulating that much cash is usually a sign that something's going right with your finances.
How Many Americans Are Living Paycheck to Paycheck? A 2023 survey conducted by Payroll.org highlighted that 78% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, a 6% increase from the previous year. In other words, more than three-quarters of Americans struggle to save or invest after paying for their monthly expenses.
Retiring with little to no money saved is not impossible, but it can present some challenges to your financial plan. Depending on where you're starting from, you may need to delay Social Security benefits, work longer, or drastically reduce expenses to retire with no money saved.
“By the time you hit 33 years old, you should have $100,000 saved somewhere,” he said, urging viewers that they can accomplish this goal. “Save 20 percent of your paycheck and let the market grow at 5% to 7% per year,” O'Leary said in the video.
That should include a little cash stashed in the house, enough to cover the monthly bills in a checking account, and enough to cover an emergency in a savings account. For the emergency stash, most financial experts set an ambitious goal at the equivalent of six months of income.
| Age by decade | Average net worth | Median net worth |
|---|---|---|
| 20s | $99,272 | $6,980 |
| 30s | $277,788 | $34,691 |
| 40s | $713,796 | $126,881 |
| 50s | $1,310,775 | $292,085 |
Monthly Average Balance refers to the average closing balance maintained in a Bank Account over the course of a month. It is calculated by adding up the closing balance of each day of the month and then dividing the total by the number of days in that month.
One of the ways to retire at 60 without running out of money is to purchase an annuity. With annuities, you are guaranteed a steady income for life. The downside is that you need a large pension pot to get the desired annuity income you may want.
What is considered living paycheck to paycheck?
What Does Living Paycheck To Paycheck Mean? Living paycheck to paycheck means you spend all your income on your monthly living expenses – like your rent or mortgage, utilities, groceries and transportation – and have little to no money left over.
The average retirement savings for all families is $333,940 according to the 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances. Taken on their own, those numbers aren't incredibly helpful. There are a variety of decent retirement savings benchmarks out there, but how much money other people have isn't one of them.
Generally speaking, you can retire at 60 with $500,000, but you may not like how much income you have or it may not be enough for your needs. However, some people can retire on less.
Assuming you'll live to be 85 and won't want to work after retiring, you can anticipate a need for 20 years of income. If you're able to retire with $200,000 at 65, that will equate to $10,000 a year, or approximately $833 a month.
How Much Should a 70-Year-Old Have in Savings? Financial experts generally recommend saving anywhere from $1 million to $2 million for retirement. If you consider an average retirement savings of $426,000 for those in the 65 to 74-year-old range, the numbers obviously don't match up.
