By the time you reach your 40s, there’s a good chance you’ll have had about 20 years of working experience under your belt. And that means you should, ideally, be in a decent place as far as your retirement savings go. Unfortunately, a large number of American 40-somethings are already behind on building their nest eggs. They need to start catching up immediately.

Among U.S. households headed by someone aged 44 to 49, the average retirement savings balance is $81,347, according to the Economic Policy Institute. But while that number may not seem all that bad, it’s also a bit misleading. A small number of of wealthier people who are financially able to set aside very large amounts can easily pull an average up. And in fact, they do. If we take a look at the median retirement savings balance — signifying that half of these households have more saved, and half have less — it’s just $6,200. And what this tells us is that there are far more 40-something families whose nest eggs are below the average than above it.

But even if you’re between the ages of 44 and 49 and have managed to amass $81,000 or so, you still have some catching up to do. According to Fidelity, by the time you reach your mid-40s, your retirement savings balance should be equal to four times your salary. Since the average salary for American workers in their mid-40s is somewhere around the $50,000 range, to have accumulated just $81,347 at this point means you’re not where you need to be. And if you’re among the countless Americans who have yet to set aside a single dime for retirement, let this serve as a wake-up call.

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