Retirement contributions

The Money Guy Show’s 25%-of-gross target is Financial Order of Operations Step 7 (hyperaccumulation) — it comes after capturing the employer match (Step 2), clearing high-interest debt (Step 3), fully funding the emergency fund (Step 4), maxing Roth IRA + HSA (Step 5), and maxing employer-sponsored plans (Step 6). The 25% is not the first move; it’s the move once every prior step is already funded.

Ramsey’s Baby Step 4 puts 15% of household income into retirement. The Baby Steps page says “household income” without explicitly qualifying gross vs. take-home; the SmartVestor Pro network handles account selection. This step only starts after Baby Steps 1–3 are complete: the $1,000 starter fund, all non-mortgage debt eliminated (debt snowball), and a fully funded 3–6 month emergency fund.

Ramit’s Conscious Spending Plan puts the Investments bucket at 10% of take-home — a different base than Money Guy’s gross or Ramsey’s “household income.” Automate the 401(k) to the employer match first, then Roth IRA. He treats 10% as a floor rather than a ceiling: start lower than you think you need, automate it, and let raises push the number up.