Retirement Calculator
Estimate if your savings will last through retirement.
Retirement Summary
Year-by-Year Projection
| Year | Age | Contributions / Withdrawals | Interest | Balance |
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Request a ToolHow to Use the Retirement Calculator
This calculator helps you see whether your current savings plan will support you through retirement. Here is how to use it:
- Enter your current age and target retirement age. The gap between these two determines your accumulation period, the years you have left to save and grow your investments.
- Enter your current savings and monthly contribution. Current savings is the total you have saved for retirement today across all accounts (401(k), IRA, brokerage). Monthly contribution is how much you add each month going forward.
- Set your expected returns. Pre-retirement return is typically higher (6-8%) since you can invest more aggressively. Post-retirement return is typically lower (3-5%) as you shift to more conservative investments.
- Enter your monthly spending in retirement. This is how much you plan to withdraw each month. A common starting point is 70-80% of your current monthly expenses.
- Set your life expectancy. Plan conservatively. If your family tends to live into their 90s, use 95 or higher to avoid running out of money.
Results update instantly as you type. The year-by-year table shows the full projection from today through the end of retirement. Use the Share button to save a link with your inputs pre-filled.
About Retirement Planning
Retirement planning comes down to two phases: accumulation (saving and investing while you work) and distribution (withdrawing from your portfolio in retirement). During accumulation, your contributions and investment returns build your nest egg. During distribution, you draw down that balance while it continues to earn returns at a typically lower rate.
This calculator uses month-by-month compounding for accuracy. It does not account for inflation, taxes, or Social Security income. For a more complete picture, reduce your expected return by 2-3% to approximate real (inflation-adjusted) returns, or reduce your spending estimate to reflect expected Social Security income.
All calculations run entirely in your browser. No financial data is stored or transmitted.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do I need to retire?
A common rule of thumb is 25 times your annual spending. If you plan to spend $48,000 per year ($4,000/month), you would need about $1.2 million at retirement. This is based on the 4% rule, which suggests withdrawing 4% of your portfolio in the first year and adjusting for inflation each year after. Use this calculator to see whether your savings trajectory will reach your target.
What rate of return should I expect?
The S&P 500 has returned roughly 10% per year historically before inflation, or about 7% after inflation. A balanced portfolio of stocks and bonds might return 6-8% before inflation. Post-retirement, many people shift to a more conservative allocation that might return 3-5%. These are long-term averages. Actual returns vary year to year.
Does this account for inflation?
No. This calculator uses nominal returns, not inflation-adjusted returns. To approximate real returns, subtract 2-3% from the return rates you enter. For example, use 4-5% pre-retirement and 1-2% post-retirement. Alternatively, enter your spending in today's dollars and use real return rates for a more accurate projection of purchasing power.
What is the 4% rule?
The 4% rule is a guideline from the 1994 Trinity Study. It says you can withdraw 4% of your portfolio in the first year of retirement, then adjust that amount for inflation each year, and your money has a high probability of lasting 30 years. It is a starting point, not a guarantee. Longer retirements, lower returns, or higher spending may require a lower withdrawal rate like 3-3.5%.