Hi Reddit
Long time lurker on Personal Finance. I have a question about retirement savings, I hear that 15% is a good amount to put away but unsure whether this includes what my employer contributes or whether that's 15% from me, plus whatever my employer contributes on top being over and above the 15%
I started with my current employer at 18YO and signed up for the pension at the minimum amount - as I didn't have a very big salary but wanted to put something away. That was 3% contribution from me, plus 11% contribution from my employer.
Fast forward 10 years and you get to me today, still putting aside 3% and getting 11% from my employer so 14% total. I have a good salary now, not very expensive tastes, and live well within my means. Typically I'm saving minimum 1/3 of my income each month towards medium to long term goals, and also have a decent emergency fund buffer which I don't touch, but it's there if I need it to repair my car or something like that.
I therefore want to bump up my retirement contributions a bit...if I bump my contribution up to 4% my employer will contribute 12% so 16% overall. Is this a good amount to go for or should my contributions be higher? My max personal contribution is 8% with an employer then contributing 16% - anything above 8% and my employer will still contribute 16%.
If it's relevant my current salary is approx £45,000 (this has grown over time, my 18yo self would have been contributing based on a salary of £15,000-ish). I also work a Saturday job because I get bored on the weekends, it pays minimum wage (a fun job, and I pretty much consider that paycheck my pocket money) and I also joined the pension for my Saturday job although that won't be much to speak of.
Sorry if these are quite basic questions, I've literally not thought about my retirement pot since age 18 signing the form to do the minimum contribution and am now a little worried I might be behind the curve, and want to catch up.
Submitted April 27, 2018 at 06:06AM by arandomstr1ng https://ift.tt/2vO6SK5
