Retirement Retirement Planning

769,000 Americans Have $1 Million in Their 401(k) - Here's What They Did Differently

What Fidelity's 401(k) millionaires did to reach seven figures.

By Kristin Hitchcock , Edited by Laura Hohenstein

Updated Oct. 23, 2026

Add Us On Google

A million-dollar 401(k) might feel pretty far away when you're deciding how much of your next paycheck you can spare. But Fidelity counted a record 769,000 401(k) millionaires in the second quarter of 2026, up 19% from the previous quarter. That's within Fidelity's plans, not a nationwide count.

What separates these savers from everyone else? Their contribution rates and years spent investing offer some clues. A strong market helped, too, which matters when deciding what's actually within your control. If you're wondering whether you're on track for retirement, here's what's worth borrowing from their approach.

Now Available: The Definitive Guide to Retirement Income

Many successful investors eventually reach the same moment. The saving is done, the portfolio is built, and the question quietly changes from how much can I grow this to how much can I take out? Get that second question wrong and decades of good investing can come apart in a handful of years.

That is exactly what The Definitive Guide to Retirement Income helps answer.¹ <p class="">Investing in securities involves a risk of loss. Past performance is never a guarantee of future returns. Investing in foreign stock markets involves additional risks, such as the risk of currency fluctuations. Guides are provided by Fisher Investments. The publisher may be compensated when readers request a guide.</p> It covers what your retirement could actually cost, which income sources are worth using, and the withdrawal math that decides whether the money lasts. It is free today from Fisher Investments. Read More Here ›

401(k) millionaires save a larger share of their income

Fidelity's millionaire savers contributed an average of 17.3% of their pay. Across Fidelity's broader 401(k) population, employees contributed 9.6%. That's a substantial difference before investment returns enter the picture.

For perspective, those percentages equal $10,380 versus $5,760 annually on a hypothetical $60,000 salary. That doesn't mean everyone could comfortably save the larger amount. It shows how much more money would be going to work each year.

Shopping for cheaper auto insurance? Enter your zip code here to get started.

Employer 401(k) matching helps grow retirement savings

Including employer contributions, the millionaire group's average savings rate reached 25.8%. The comparable figure across Fidelity's participants was 14.4%. These savers weren't funding their entire balances out of their own paychecks.

Your employer's formula matters here. Contributing enough to collect the full available match is worth checking, but you can't simply choose a more generous benefit. Two equally committed savers might receive very different amounts from their employers.

They gave their accounts about 25 years

The typical millionaire in Fidelity's data was about 58 and had been saving for roughly 25 years. That puts the headline in perspective. These generally weren't people who started contributing a few years ago.

Time gives contributions more opportunities to earn returns, and those returns more opportunities to grow. Comparing your account after five years with someone else's after 25 skips a fairly important part of the story.

Released: The Definitive Guide to Retirement Income (Sponsor)

Most people spend their entire working lives focusing on one thing: growing a pile of money. Then they retire and discover the skill they actually need is close to the opposite. Turning that pile into steady income, year after year, through good markets and bad, without ever running out. It may be the least discussed and most consequential transition in personal finance, and plenty of otherwise careful investors walk into it with no real plan.

That is exactly what The Definitive Guide to Retirement Income helps answer.¹ <p class="">Investing in securities involves a risk of loss. Past performance is never a guarantee of future returns. Investing in foreign stock markets involves additional risks, such as the risk of currency fluctuations. Guides are provided by Fisher Investments. The publisher may be compensated when readers request a guide.</p> It is a free guide from Fisher Investments covering what your retirement will really cost, where the cash flow should come from, and how much you can safely withdraw each year. Learn More Here ›

A strong stock market helped push 401(k) balances past $1 million

The 19% jump describes the number of millionaire accounts, not a 19% return for each saver. Fidelity attributed record retirement balances partly to the strong stock market.

Consider a hypothetical account holding $950,000. A 6% gain would bring it to $1,007,000 without another contribution. That's enough to join the millionaire count. Crossing the threshold might reflect years of saving followed by a good quarter, rather than a sudden change in behavior.

Staying invested can help retirement savings grow over time

Fidelity reported that only 5.5% of retirement savers changed their asset allocation during the quarter. That figure covers the broader saver population, so it doesn't prove every millionaire followed the same strategy. Still, it suggests most weren't constantly rearranging their investments.

The practical lesson is to choose an investment mix you could reasonably hold through uncomfortable stretches. Moving money after every unsettling headline adds another difficult decision: when to get back in.

Choose a retirement investment mix that fits your timeline

A rising market helps only if your account holds investments that participate in that rise. But taking more risk just to chase seven figures could leave you exposed when you need the money.

The SEC explains that the right mix of stocks, bonds, and cash depends on your timeline and loss tolerance. Someone retiring soon has different needs from someone with another 30 years of paychecks ahead.

Retirement News: Almost 80% of Americans fear a retirement age increase — here’s the real reason why

How to increase your 401(k) contribution rate over time

You don't have to jump straight to the millionaire group's contribution rate. Fidelity reported that 12.1% of participants increased their savings rate in the second quarter, though this wasn't a statistic specifically about millionaires.

One possible starting point is a one-percentage-point increase. On a $60,000 salary, that means an additional $600 annually, or $50 monthly, going into the account before considering taxes. A raise might provide room to make that adjustment.

You don't need to pick individual winning stocks to build retirement savings

These figures don't identify a secret portfolio that produced every millionaire account. Copying someone else's stock picks isn't a conclusion the data supports.

For readers who want a simpler approach, a target-date fund typically spreads money across investments and becomes more conservative as its retirement date approaches. Check the fees and holdings, though. The SEC notes that funds with the same target year may take different risks, and they don't guarantee sufficient retirement income.

Bottom line

Fidelity's 401(k) millionaires generally had decades of savings, substantial contributions, and employer money behind them. A strong market helped, too. You don't control the next rally, but reviewing how much you contribute and whether you're collecting your full match could help you grow your wealth over time.

For a more useful progress check, separate contributions on your statement from investment gains and losses. A rising balance doesn't necessarily mean you're saving enough, and a down quarter doesn't erase the money you've added. Tracking both gives you a clearer picture of what's driving your results.

More from FinanceBuzz: