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It's the biggest question when it comes to retirement savings: How much do I need to save to retire comfortably? Back in May, President Donald Trump said that $465,000 in retirement savings would make someone "rich."

But is that really enough to get you through your golden years? Some experts aren't so sure.

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The president made the comment when he signed an executive order that would expand retirement account access for those who don't have access to workplace retirement savings plans.

CNBC reported that when the president signed the executive order, he said that young workers who saved regularly with the account would be able to save $465,000 by the time they retire — "In other words, they'll be rich," Trump said (1).

Barry Glassman, a certified financial planner, told CNBC in an email that while the accounts had advantages, "I don't believe they are going to make people rich."

"While $465,000 could provide a healthy sum for retirement," Glassman wrote. "With 3% inflation, in 30 years that's equivalent to less than $200,000 today."

In 2026, the average American believes that they'll need $1.46 million to retire comfortably, according to a study conducted by Northwestern Mutual (2). That target looks considerably different from what the average American worker actually has tucked away in a retirement account.

A Fidelity report for the first quarter of 2026 analyzed the 401(k) balances of 25.6 million participants in corporate defined contribution plans and found that the average 401(k) balance was $141,000 (3), which was down by 4% from the previous quarter.

Meanwhile, a Vanguard report found that although the average defined contribution plan balance was $167,970 at the end of 2025, the median balance was $44,115 — the median being a "halfway point," where half the people had more, and half had less (4).

According to the Pension Research Council, about 56 million American workers don't have access to employer-sponsored retirement plans (5).

Read More: Millionaires under 43 hold only 32% of their wealth in stocks. Here's where their money is actually going

Whether or not you have access to a workplace retirement plan, chances are your nest egg isn't as large as you'd like it to be. If your retirement fund could use a boost, consider setting up recurring contributions in a tax-efficient IRA.

Acorns offers an easy, automated way to build your nest egg in retirement.

In just a few minutes, you'll get an IRA plan recommended for you and your long-term goals. From there, you can set up daily, weekly or monthly recurring contributions to make your investing automatic.

The best part? Acorns will boost your retirement with a 3% IRA match on new contributions during your first year with Acorns Gold membership. Max out your annual contribution, and that's an extra $225 investment.

You can start investing with as little as $5 — and, if you sign up today, Acorns will add a $20 bonus to help you jump-start your investment journey.

The answer to the big question of how much you will need for retirement will be different for every individual, but experts generally agree that it's important to consider your lifestyle, how long your retirement will be and your overall health when making a plan for retirement savings.

A benchmark that many experts use to guide retirement savings is that you should aim to save 15% of your income every year, including employer matches.

You can also calculate your savings goals based on your "replacement rate," which is the percentage of your pre-retirement income you'd need to maintain your standard of living in retirement.

If you don't know what that would look like, an analysis by T. Rowe Price found that a replacement rate of around 75% of pre-retirement income could be a "good starting point to consider (6)."

If you want to ensure you're maximizing your retirement contributions, it might pay to speak to a qualified financial advisor.

Research from Vanguard shows that working with a financial advisor can add about 3% to net returns over time (7). That difference can become substantial.

For instance, if you started with a $50,000 portfolio, professional guidance could mean more than $1.3 million in additional growth over 30 years, depending on market conditions and your investment strategy.

Finding the right advisor is simple with Advisor.com. Their platform connects you with licensed financial professionals in your area who can provide personalized guidance.

A professional advisor can also help you determine how many years you have left to invest before retirement and assess your comfort level with market fluctuations — two key factors in building the right asset mix for your portfolio.

Through Advisor.com, you can schedule a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your retirement goals and long-term financial plan.

The executive order Trump signed directs the Secretary of the Treasury to establish a website that will "connect American workers who don't have access to employer‑sponsored retirement plans with high-quality, low-cost IRAs offered by private-sector financial institutions (8)."

Those who contribute to qualifying IRAs and meet income requirements will also be eligible for the federal Saver's Match contribution, which goes into effect in 2027. Those with an adjusted gross income below $20,500 ($41,000 for married couples filing jointly) can get a 50% match on up to $2,000 in retirement savings, for a maximum match of $1,000 (9).

The $465,000 figure Trump cited is based on the example of a 25-year-old worker who saves $165 a month and gets the maximum Saver's Match every year, with a 6% rate of return on their savings until they retire at 65.

But Winnie Sun, cofounder and managing director of Sun Group Wealth Partners, told CNBC that while the projection makes sense, assuming an investor saves in a diversified stock portfolio consistent with historical, inflation-adjusted stock returns, it also assumes the worker gets the full Saver's Match every year for 40 years — meaning their income never surpasses the threshold for low-income workers (1).

CNBC noted that low earners likely don't have enough income flexibility or free cash flow to save consistently over their lifetime.

Still, Sun told CNBC that the $465,000 figure would be a meaningful amount "for many, if not most families." But Sun cautioned that rather than being a massive retirement windfall, it becomes more like a "modest paycheck" when the amount is broken down into a yearly retirement income.

Using the 4% rule to calculate how much of your retirement savings you can draw down per year, that $465,000 would mean about $19,000 of retirement income per year.

Any step toward retirement savings is important, especially for those who haven't started yet. And for workers who don't have access to employer-sponsored plans, signing up for an IRA can be a great first step toward building a retirement savings plan.

For those looking for an IRA with low correlation to traditional markets — especially amid the current volatility — a gold IRA is a solid choice.

Gold IRAs allow investors to hold physical gold or gold-related assets within a retirement account, which combines the tax advantages of an IRA with the protective benefits of investing in gold.

Since gold isn't tied to any single country, currency or economy, it can't be printed out of thin air like fiat money, meaning in times of geopolitical uncertainty, investors tend to pile in — driving up its value. This makes gold IRAs an attractive option for those looking to potentially hedge their retirement funds against economic volatility.

Opening a gold IRA with the help of Goldco allows you to invest in gold and other precious metals in physical forms while also providing the significant tax advantages of an IRA.

With a minimum purchase of $10,000, Goldco offers free shipping and access to a library of retirement resources. Plus, the company will match up to 10% of qualified purchases in free silver.

If you're curious whether this is the right investment to diversify your portfolio, you can download your free gold and silver information guide today.

Investing in assets that generate regular cash flow can give retirees another way to help cover everyday expenses once the paychecks stop coming in.

Dividend-paying stocks are one familiar option, but they may not provide as much income as investors expect. The S&P 500's dividend yield has been running just above 1%, the lowest reading on record, according to Charlie Bilello, chief market strategist at Creative Planning (10).

That's why you might want to look beyond the stock market for additional sources of income. Real estate, for instance, can offer a different way to potentially build wealth and generate cash flow.

Real estate has the potential to generate returns in multiple ways. Alongside long-term appreciation as property values rise, rental properties can produce ongoing income, giving investors another potential source of cash flow in retirement.

But traditional real estate investments can come with their own set of headaches. Buying a property could bring with it a large down payment, a mortgage, maintenance costs and the occasional middle-of-the-night phone call from tenants.

Today, investors have other ways to get exposure to real estate investing.

Real estate investment platforms like mogul offer fractional ownership in blue-chip rental properties, giving investors monthly rental income, real-time appreciation and tax benefits — without the need for a hefty down payment or those late-night tenant calls.

Founded by former Goldman Sachs real estate investors, the team handpicks the top 1% of single-family rental homes nationwide for you. Simply put, you can invest in institutional quality offerings for a fraction of the usual cost.

Each property undergoes a vetting process, requiring a minimum 12% return even in downside scenarios. Across the board, the platform features an average annual IRR of 18.8%. Their cash-on-cash yields, meanwhile, average between 10% and 12% annually. Offerings often sell out in under three hours, with investments typically ranging between $15,000 and $40,000 per property.

Getting started is a quick and easy process. You can sign up for an account and then browse available properties. Once you verify your information with their team, you can invest like a mogul in just a few clicks.

— With additional reporting by Aditi Ganguly

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CNBC (1); Northwestern Mutual (2); Fidelity (3); Vanguard (4), (7); Pension Research Council (5); T. Rowe Price (6); White House (8); Congress.gov (9); Bilello (10)

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.