I think it is rude to ask outright, but I am wondering how big of a 401k or IRA account (total) people are able to amass. If not your own, what have you heard of? In my case, I remember opening an IRA account when they were first available, must have been around 1981 because I had a time deposit that yielded 16.5% (Interest rates were very high then). I very soon became ineligible for deductible IRAs and stopped contributing. I did participate in 401k plans over the years. I have made tons of investment mistakes including keeping my retirement assets in cash for years, especially after the crash of 87. During a 3 year period of working overseas I was not eligible for my company's 401k plan. I stopped working in 2007. In spite of all these issues, my IRA balances (which now include all prior 401k plans) are now just over $1mm.
I am thinking this balance could easily be $3mm if I had consistently and blindly invested my retirement + employer match funds in stock market indices. Could it be $5mm?
I recall reading that Romney had an IRA account worth over $100mm because he was able to fund it with stock valued at pennies that magically grew to that amount, but without "tricks" I am wondering what kind of IRA/401k balances are achievable over a 30 or 40 year working career using prudent investment strategy and maximizing employer match but not necessarily maximizing your personal contribution, ie nothing "draconian", just reasonable saving.
I suppose I could ask my sister and brother in law, but we don't generally discuss our financial details. They have worked for a single employer for about 35 years and should have substantial 401k balances by now.