Milestones

Age checkpoints for your retirement contributions

Treat each date below as a review prompt, not a rule. Check it against your own contribution record, then decide what to change.

Status markers reflect the sample profile on this page. Hypothetical results could differ. Investment involves risk, including possible loss of principal.

Open the printable milestone checklist
  1. 50

    Complete

    Catch-up contributions open

    Workplace and IRA accounts allow extra contributions from the year you turn 50.

  2. 55

    Complete

    Rule of 55 review

    Check whether your workplace plan allows penalty-free withdrawals after you leave that job.

  3. 59.5

    In progress

    Penalty-free withdrawals

    Most retirement accounts stop applying the early withdrawal penalty at 59 and a half.

  4. 62

    Not started

    Social Security window opens

    Reduced benefits become available. Weigh claiming early against waiting for a larger amount.

  5. 65

    Not started

    Medicare enrollment

    The initial enrollment window opens three months before your birthday month.

  6. 70

    Not applicable

    Delayed credits peak

    Marked not applicable if you plan to claim at full retirement age instead.

Milestones

Checklist by age band: what to review and when

  • Typical by this age
  • Still open
  • Not yet applicable
20–35

Early career

  • Contribute enough to capture the full employer match.
  • Hold one month of expenses in cash before raising your rate.
  • Name beneficiaries on every retirement account.
35–50

Mid career

  • Add one percentage point with each pay increase.
  • Compare your balance with the range for your age band.
  • Decide what to do with old workplace accounts you still hold.
50–59½

Catch-up years

  • Start catch-up contributions in the year you turn 50.
  • Model claiming Social Security at 62, 67, and 70.
  • Confirm the contribution limits that apply to your plan.
60–65

Transition

  • Set the withdrawal order for your first retirement year.
  • Price health coverage between retirement and Medicare.
  • Check that your income sources add up to your target.
65+

Later years

  • Review required distribution rules for tax-deferred accounts.
  • Catch-up contributions no longer apply.

Educational only. Investment involves risk, including possible loss of principal. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Milestone status notes

What each status label means

Every row on the milestone checklist resolves to one of four labels. The label reflects the savings figures you entered, compared with a simple benchmark for that age band. It is a reading of your own numbers, not a judgment about your plan.

A status can move in either direction as you update contributions or change an assumption. A shortfall at 50 may become a surplus at 55 if the contribution amount or the expected return changes. Treat each label as a snapshot you can revisit, not a fixed verdict.

Where a milestone does not apply to your situation, the tracker leaves it unmarked rather than counting it against you. You may want to test a variation with alternative savings scenarios before deciding on a next step.

On track
The projected balance meets the benchmark for this age band using the assumptions on the assumptions page.
Needs attention
The projected balance falls below the benchmark. Raising the monthly contribution or delaying a withdrawal date could narrow the gap.
Not applicable
This milestone does not fit your situation, such as a workplace match you do not receive. It is excluded from the running total.
Ahead of schedule
The projected balance sits above the benchmark, which may give you room to review risk or retirement timing.

Figures shown across this tool are hypothetical and for educational purposes only. They are not financial advice. Investment involves risk, including possible loss of principal. Past performance does not guarantee future results.