20s and 30s
- Join your workplace plan and get the full match.
- Start a Roth IRA while your tax rate may be lower.
- Increase your savings rate by 1% with every raise.
40s
- Aim to save 15% or more of your income, including any match.
- Run a full retirement plan once a year.
- Avoid cashing out old 401(k)s when you change jobs—roll them over.
50s
- Use catch-up contributions: $8,000 more in a 401(k) and $1,100 more in an IRA.
- Estimate your retirement budget in detail.
- Check your Social Security earnings record at ssa.gov/myaccount.
60s
- Ages 60–63: the $11,250 super catch-up in workplace plans.
- Decide when to claim Social Security.
- Sign up for Medicare around 65.
- Plan which accounts to withdraw from first to manage taxes.
70s and beyond
- Start required minimum distributions on time (73 or 75).
- Consider qualified charitable distributions.
- Keep beneficiary designations and your estate plan up to date.
Every year
- Rerun your retirement plan with updated balances.
- Check that beneficiaries on every account are current.
- Rebalance investments back to your target mix.
- Review the new contribution limits each January.
Official 2026 figures from: IRS: 2026 401(k) and IRA limits (IR-2025-111) · IRS: Catch-up contributions · IRS: Required minimum distributions · IRS: Publication 590-B (Uniform Lifetime Table) · IRS: Rev. Proc. 2025-19 (2026 HSA limits) · SSA: 2026 COLA fact sheet · CMS: 2026 Medicare premiums and deductibles · SSA: Cost-of-living adjustment history · BEA: Regional Price Parities by state (2024 data)