The path to financial independence often feels like an insurmountable mountain, especially when retirement experts throw around numbers like $1.26 million as the magic figure needed for a comfortable retirement. According to Northwestern Mutual’s 2025 Planning & Progress Study, this is precisely the amount Americans believe they need to retire comfortably. While this number might seem daunting at first glance, the reality is that reaching this milestone is more achievable than most people realize, provided you understand one of the most powerful forces in personal finance: compound interest.