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- How much you need to retire comfortably (3 18 25)
How much you need to retire comfortably (3 18 25)
Anthony Hazzard
March 18, 2025
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💵 Today’s Top Stories
 | Here’s where your dollars get you the most, and the least, in retirement depending on what state you live in. Read more. |
 | Most cell phone articles focus on family or individual plans. But what if you need a plan for two? We researched more than 70 plans to find six of the best, including best value and best unlimited data. Read more. |
Sponsor | Drawing from years of experience advising thousands of retirees, we’ve created this ever-evolving guide, continuously updated with fresh insights from our team, to help you plan for a long, happy retirement. The better prepared you are, the more rewarding your retirement will be! |
 | Let’s face it: Apple’s titanium credit card looks good and fits the brand. But is it competitive? Here’s how you can get 2% and 3% cash back with the card. Read more. |
 | Every $10 monthly subscription you cut saves you $120 a year. Here are Team Clark’s tips for managing and reducing your subscription costs. Read more. |
💻️ Tech Tip From Kim Komando
I’m leavin’ on a jet plane: Don’t wait in line for a bad passport pic. Head to Passport Photo Online and follow a few steps to take the perfect shot. It’s easy, and the site tells you exactly what to do. That means you won’t get rejected once you submit the pic. Join 575K people who get tech smart with my friend Kim Komando’s free newsletter, The Current.
📉 The Stock Market Is Falling, But Don’t Panic
The S&P 500 entered correction territory at the end of last week, falling more than 10% from Feb. 19 to March 13.
The buzzword in markets: “tariffs.”
Market uncertainty comes and goes. Right now it’s back in full force.
With the potential for ongoing headwinds, it’s at least possible the market could continue backsliding for a while. So should you sell?
No, no, no. At least, that’s what Clark always says in these situations. If you’re truly investing, you’re investing for the long haul – we’re talking 10+ years. And timing the market is generally a fool’s errand.
Many times, the worst thing you can do is sell when the market hits an extended decline. Because you don’t know where the bottom will be – and sitting on the sideline, you’re likely to miss the upside when the market turns around.
Instead, Clark says, continue the tried-and-true method of dollar-cost averaging. Just automate your investments and put in the same amount every paycheck, week or month.
If you’re doing that right now, you’re buying shares at cheaper price points at the moment.
Investing is a long-term game – realllly long-term. So be patient, don’t drive yourself crazy checking prices three times a day and know that if you’re invested the Clark Howard Way, you should be OK long-term.
📊 Stat of the Day
💹 $632 billion: The total assets invested in VOO – Vanguard’s S&P 500 ETF and the epitome of the vision of legendary founder John Bogle. Why is that significant? Because it finally passed SPY, the S&P 500 tracker run by State Street, as the biggest ETF in the United States. SPY had a 17-year head start.
💰️ Deal Alert: Today’s Top Deals
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🎙️ Podcast
Buying a vehicle is the second-largest purchase we make several times over our lifetime. If you need to buy a car soon, Clark shares several makes and models that are on a big sale – and pass Consumer Reports' reliability ratings. Also, many power providers are offering “smart” meters. Is it worth it? Clark explains everything you need to know.
☎️ Need Money Help?
The Team Clark Consumer Action Center is a free helpline that can help you navigate your money questions. Call 636-492-5275. Visit clark.com/cac for more information.
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