The average American’s 401(k) balance is $104,300. Fidelity reports that the average 401(k) balance is $104,300, 13% higher than it was a year ago. This may sound like a lot, and to be fair, this includes people of all ages, not just those getting close to retirement age. Having said that, using the 4% rule of retirement savings, this amount of money can only be expected to generate $4,172 in sustainable annual retirement income.