Just 1% more can make a big difference

Often it's the little things in life that can make the biggest difference. That's true when it comes to saving for retirement. Putting just 1% more into a tax-advantaged retirement account like a 401(k), 403(b), or traditional IRA could make a noticeable difference in your lifestyle in retirement.

"The retirement savings mountain might appear imposing from a distance, but the climb isn't as steep as it looks," says Jeanne Thompson, senior vice president of retirement insights at Fidelity. "Small steps can turn into big strides."

While 1% is a small percentage of your annual earnings, after 20 or 30 years it can make a big difference in your account balance when you retire. That's because the longer you give your money a chance to grow, the better. And it works no matter how old you are—or how far off retirement is.

Let’s look at some examples.

See your numbers

Want to create an example like the ones shown above to see what a difference even a 1% increase can make for you? Use our interactive "See how a small change can make a BIG DIFFERENCE."

Consider small steps

As you can see in our examples—and probably in your own too—small weekly amounts like $12, $14, and $16 can make a noticeable difference in your savings. So how do you find the money? We won't say skip the latte if you really, really need it, but there are probably places in your spending that may be easy to cut. Are you paying for cable and cell phone services you aren't using? Maybe you can consider negotiating a lower rate. Do you eat out a lot? Even skipping one restaurant meal could save you $16 or more. And the beauty of 401(k) contributions is that they come right out of your paycheck, so you may not even miss the spending money.

If a one-time bump-up isn't ideal now, consider aiming to increase contributions each year. For instance, if your 401(k) lets you set automatic increases every year, consider signing up.

Consider saving 15%

We ran the numbers and determined that aiming to save 15% of income toward retirement annually—which includes any matching contributions an employer may make to a workplace retirement account like a 401(k) or 403(b)—can help ensure that a person will be able to live his or her current lifestyle in retirement.

Not saving that much? Don't fret. Few people get there overnight. Think of planning for retirement as a journey. The key is to save as much as you can now and try to increase savings over time.

"Starting early, saving regularly, and increasing the amount you save as your income increases may allow you to do some of the things you have always dreamed of in retirement," says Thompson.

Don't have a 401(k)?

You may be self-employed or maybe your employer doesn't offer a 401(k). But you can save in a tax-advantaged account like an IRA. There are several types of IRAs.

If you are already contributing to an IRA, chances are you can contribute more. The average contribution to a Fidelity IRA in 2016 was a little more than $4,000—despite the $5,500 limit for those under age 50 and the $6,500 limit for those age 50 or older. Saving $50 more a month, or $600 a year, can make a real difference.

Go for it

Challenge yourself to save a little more. Whether it's a 1%, 3%, or even 5% increase, the extra money saved today could make a big difference in helping achieve the retirement you envision. Think about it this way: Do you want to be worrying about money in retirement?

Take the next step

We made it easy to see how you are doing when it comes to saving for retirement. Answer 6 simple questions to get The Fidelity Retirement Score^SM. It's like a credit score for retirement.