Retirement saving is a multi-decade problem that interacts with budgeting decisions in powerful ways — money put into retirement accounts earlier benefits from compounding, tax advantages, and employer matches. Over the years, common guidance evolved as life expectancies rose and retirement vehicles proliferated: many planners now recommend saving a meaningful portion of income regularly rather than trying to catch up late. A frequent, practical guideline passed around in employer wellness programs and financial blogs is to aim for around 10–15% of pre-tax income (including any employer match) for long-term retirement savings, assuming steady contributions begin early in a career. Individual targets depend heavily on start age, desired retirement lifestyle, Social Security expectations, and other savings; late starters may need higher rates. For household budgets, committing a fixed percentage of income to retirement is a form of “pay yourself first” and competes with near-term goals like debt repayment or home purchases — hence the trade-offs. This question asks about the commonly recommended contribution range for many early-to-mid career savers.