Here's the answer to 'am I saving enough for retirement?' that I find most useful.

Forget benchmarks like '1x your salary by 30.' They're averages that mask enormous variation in individual circumstances.

The more useful framework: estimate your required retirement portfolio. If you want to spend $60,000/year in retirement, you need approximately $1.5 million (at the 4% withdrawal rate). If you want $80,000/year, you need $2 million.

Then calculate: if you continue at your current savings rate with your current balance, when do you reach that number? Use a compound interest calculator. If the answer is 'at age 67' and you want to retire at 65, you're close. If it's 'at age 75,' you need to act.

The benchmark approach tells you how you compare to averages. The forward projection tells you whether your specific situation will produce the outcome you want.