Gen Z is 'retirement-maxxing.' Hereâs how to start in 3 simple steps
Move over, "looks-maxxing" and "vibes-maxxing." Gen Z has a new obsession that's been trending on social media: "retirement-maxxing." And the numbers suggest they've long been onto something.
According to a 2025 Vanguard study, 47% of workers ages 24 to 28 are projected to have enough money to maintain their current lifestyle in retirement â the highest percentage of any generation.
And it's not just that Gen Z has been on track, they've gotten earlier starts, too. The share of Gen Z households with retirement accounts is three times higher than it was for Gen Xers at the same age, according to a 2024 report from the Investment Company Institute (ICI).
If you're in this cohort and feel behind, here are three simple ways to take your retirement savings to the next level.
Gen Z isn't waiting around to start putting their money in the market. Members of this generation began investing at an average age of 19, according to the Charles Schwab 2024 Modern Wealth Survey. Compare that to millennials, who started at 25; Gen X, at 32; and baby boomers, who waited until 35.
Clearly, given Gen Z's head start, you don't need a big salary to begin. Most major online brokerages these days let you get started with little or no money upfront. The below offer zero account minimums and commission-free trading. Once you open an account, you can invest as little as $25 or $50 per month to get your feet wet. The goal isn't to save a huge amount right away; it's to start early and give your money more time to grow.
Best brokerage account bonuses: Get up to $10,000
Minimum deposit and balance requirements may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected. No minimum to open a Fidelity Go® account, but minimum $10 balance for robo-advisor to start investing.
Fees may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected. Zero commission fees for stock, ETF, options trades and some mutual funds; zero transaction fees for over 3,400 mutual funds; $0.65 per options contract. Fidelity Go® has no advisory fees for balances under $25,000 (0.35% per year for balances of $25,000 and over, which includes access to unlimited 30-minute coaching calls with a Fidelity advisor and tax-loss harvesting on taxable accounts).
None currently. Check Fidelity's promotions page for the latest offers here.
Robo-advisor: Fidelity Go® IRA: Traditional, Roth and Rollover IRAs Brokerage and trading: Fidelity Investments Trading Other: Fidelity Investments 529 College Savings; Fidelity HSA®
Stocks, bonds, ETFs, mutual funds, CDs, options and fractional shares
Extensive tools and industry-leading, in-depth research from 20-plus independent providers
Minimum deposit and balance requirements may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected. No account minimum for active investing through Schwab One® Brokerage Account. Automated investing through Schwab Intelligent Portfolios® requires a $5,000 minimum deposit
Fees may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected. Schwab One® Brokerage Account has no account fees, $0 commission fees for stock and ETF trades, $0 transaction fees for over 4,000 mutual funds and a $0.65 fee per options contract
Robo-advisor: Schwab Intelligent Portfolios® IRA: Charles Schwab Traditional, Roth, Rollover, Inherited and Custodial IRAs; plus, a Personal Choice Retirement Account® (PCRA) Brokerage and trading: Schwab One® Brokerage Account, Schwab Global Accountâ¢, Schwab Organization Account and Schwab Trading Powered by Ameritradeâ¢
Stocks, bonds, mutual funds, CDs and ETFs
Schwab offers courses, educational articles, videos, and webinars for investors at every level, plus advanced screeners, research tools, and market insights through the Schwab Center for Financial Research.
Minimum deposit and balance requirements may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected. No minimum required to open an account or to start investing
Fees may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected. Commission-free trading; regulatory transaction fees and trading activity fees may apply
Get a free stock added to your brokerage account when you link your bank account and fulfill the promotion conditions (keep it or sell after 2 trading days)
Brokerage account: Robinhood Financial commission-free investing
Stocks, ETFs, options, fractional shares, IPOs, and select cryptocurrencies Robinhood Crypto (availability varies by location)
Terms apply. *(Review Robinhood disclosures here.)
Minimum deposit and balance requirements may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected. No minimum to open a Vanguard account, but minimum $1,000 deposit to invest in many retirement funds; robo-advisor Vanguard Digital Advisor® requires minimum $100 to enroll.
Fees may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected. Zero commission fees for stock and ETF trades; zero transaction fees for over 3,000 mutual funds; $20 annual service fee for IRAs and brokerage accounts (waived with at least $50,000 in qualifying Vanguard assets or by opting into paperless statements); robo-advisor Vanguard Digital Advisor® charges approximately 0.15% net advisory fee annually (after fund revenue credits; 90-day fee waiver for new clients).
Robo-advisor: Vanguard Digital Advisor® IRA: Vanguard Traditional, Roth, Rollover, Spousal and SEP IRAs Brokerage and trading: Vanguard Trading Other: Vanguard 529 Plan
Stocks, bonds, mutual funds, CDs, ETFs and options
Fees may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected. Commission-free trading on stocks, ETFs and options; regulatory transaction fees, exchange fees and options contract fees may apply.
Brokerage account: Webull commission-free investing IRA: Traditional, Roth, Rollover IRAs Robo-advisor: Webull Smart Advisor
Stocks, ETFs, options, fractional shares, IPOs, ADRs, OTC stocks, futures, US Treasuries, bonds and select cryptocurrencies through Webull Crypto
Webull offers educational resources, including beginner guides, advanced trading strategies and a paper trading simulator to practice risk-free with virtual funds.
When you're 24, retirement can feel like a lifetime away. You're probably more focused on making rent than thinking about your 60s. But that distance is exactly what makes it easy to put off, and why starting early can be so powerful. The math rewards you for treating "future you" as a priority now, not later.
Take those Schwab averages, for example. Assuming a $500 monthly contribution and an average 7% annual return, with the money left invested through age 65, the Gen Zer who starts at 19 contributes $96,000 more than the baby boomer who starts at 35, but ends up with about $1.5 million more.
Try reframing retirement savings less as "sacrificing for someone you don't know yet" and more as automating a decision you've already made. Setting up automatic transfers to a retirement account removes the temptation to skip a month and turns saving into a habit rather than a choice you have to make over and over.
Not every entry-level job comes with a retirement plan, especially if you're freelancing, working part time or just starting out. A Roth IRA lets you save for retirement on your own, with no employer required.
With a Roth IRA, you contribute after-tax dollars, meaning you don't get a tax break today. In exchange, your money can grow tax-free, and qualified withdrawals in retirement are tax-free, too. That can be especially valuable for young savers who may be in a lower tax bracket early in their careers than they expect to be later on.
And if you land a job with a 401(k) down the line, you don't have to choose between the two. You can contribute to both at the same time, giving you greater tax diversification in retirement.
Offers in this section are from affiliate partners and selected based on a combination of engagement, product relevance, compensation, and consistent availability.
Minimum initial purchase requirement of $10,000
Account set-up fee of $50. Storage fees of $100 or $15, depending on storage type. Annual account administration fee of $125. Terms apply.
Annual IRA fee of $75 for accounts valued at $100,000 or less, $125 for accounts valued at $100,001 or more
Storage fee varies with the depository but typically is a flat $100 annual storage fee in most cases
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