• 4) Savings to consider: Experts recommend saving 10-15% of your gross salary each year, in TOTAL, for retirement. These savings can be split between 401(k), ROTH IRA, and traditional IRAs. Assume your employers 401(k) plan will offer a match of up to 3% of your salary. So, to get the free money (match), you would want to contribute 3% of your annual salary to the 401(k) plan. If you want to save 10% in total, that means the 7% of your annual salary should be contributed to a ROTH IRA or a traditional IRA. Make your plan here: