What % to retirement? POLL

[cashqueen]

I contribute 12% of my income and DH contributes 10%. I do get a match of 3% but you have to be here 6 years to be fully vested and I don't see that happening (I've been here less than a year.) Dh has great matching and he is fully vested. However, he makes half my salary so it's great, but still not as much as I'm putting in.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Well, I voted the other day, thinking we saved 19%. However, I've just had out the paperwork and found we are saving 28.48%. This does NOT include the employer contribution. I expect we will need every bit of it to live humbly, too. Humble is fine with me; just let me not be miserable in my old age!

[TBH]

I put 11% in workplace plans. Employer matches 6%.

My spouse puts 15% in workplace plans. I think his employer matches 5% but I'm not sure.

We manage to put another 5% or so in Roths usually, depending on various things.

This year, the goal is to hold steady with his workplace contributions even tho I'm prolly going to be bringing in less $$, AND we'd like to add a regular monthly Roth contribution of $100 for him and $50 for me. (He's older and has a smaller balance, so we funnel more to his accounts.)

[my journal]

We're putting away 15% of my gross into a 401k (company matches to 2% and give a 3% bonus at the end of the year so, by year end it is 20%). Also going to start a roth this year and try to put at least 5,000 (between DH and myself) into it. I keep kicking myself for not doing it sooner

[myself]

Originally Posted by my journal

We're putting away 15% of my gross into a 401k (company matches to 2% and give a 3% bonus at the end of the year so, by year end it is 20%). Also going to start a roth this year and try to put at least 5,000 (between DH and myself) into it. I keep kicking myself for not doing it sooner

Personally, I think that's great (the amount you are putting away).
Things I keep stressing to my older (i.e. 14 y.o.) nephew, are:

1. he shouldn't get a car until he absolutely has to.
2. as soon as he starts working, he should contribute the maximum amount to a Roth IRA ... at least for the first 4 years of his work life, which will set up his retirement before he turns 21
3. don't buy things, just to buy them and say "I have the latest greatest doo-hickey"

I too wish I started earlier than I did, but I refuse to beat myself up over the bad choice I made in my past that cannot be changed now.