What is Funded Ratio and Why Should You Care?
The Funded Ratio measures how well your retirement assets cover your projected retirement spending needs. It provides a snapshot of your retirement readiness in a single percentage.
Understanding your funded ratio helps you make informed decisions about saving, spending, and retirement timing.
How to Calculate Funded Ratio
The formula for funded ratio is:
[\text{Funded Ratio} = \frac{\text{Total Assets}}{\text{Total Spending Needs}} \times 100]
Where:
- Total Assets is your total retirement savings
- Total Spending Needs is your estimated total retirement expenses
Calculation Example
Given:
- Total Assets: $800,000
- Total Spending Needs in Retirement: $100,000
Calculation:
[\text{Funded Ratio} = \frac{800{,}000}{100{,}000} \times 100 = 800%]
A funded ratio of 800% indicates strong retirement readiness with significant financial cushion.
Funded Ratio Interpretation
| Ratio | Assessment |
|---|---|
| < 50% | Significant shortfall |
| 50-80% | Moderate shortfall |
| 80-100% | Nearly funded |
| 100% | Fully funded |
| > 100% | Surplus cushion |