Americans have no shortage of retirement benchmarks competing for their attention. Some experts say you need $1 million, others suggest saving 10 times your salary, and then there's the 4% rule.

On top of that, there are annual surveys and statistics that aim to calculate or identify the ever-popular retirement "magic number" for how much the average American needs to retire comfortably.

While these figures and rules can offer a starting point, they can also create unnecessary anxiety and lead people to focus on the wrong end goal.

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