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Retirement Calculator

Project your retirement savings forward — or work backward from your goal to find exactly what you need to contribute each month. Includes 401k match, Social Security, inflation, Roth vs Traditional, and withdrawal planning.

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A retirement calculator projects how much a portfolio will grow by retirement, or reverse-calculates the monthly contribution needed to reach a target nest egg. The standard benchmark is the 25× rule: save 25 times your expected annual expenses to sustain a 4% annual withdrawal rate indefinitely. At 7% annual return, saving $500/month for 30 years produces approximately $567,000.

Last updated: 2026-05-04
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Personal Details
yrs
yrs
$
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Contributions
Phase 1 — Starting Now
$
%

% of your contribution

% salary

Max matched % of salary

$
Phase 2 — Future Change optional
yrs
$
Leave blank to use Phase 1 amount for this period
Phase 3 — Final Stage optional
yrs
$
Leave blank to continue Phase 2 amount (or Phase 1 if Phase 2 also blank)
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Returns & Inflation
%

Historical S&P 500 real return ≈ 7% · nominal ≈ 10%

Results shown in today's dollars (purchasing power)

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Retirement Income & Tax
$

Estimate from ssa.gov/myaccount · leave blank to exclude

%

4% is the classic safe withdrawal rate

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Retirement Projection
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Enter your details and press
Calculate Retirement Plan

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about retirement planning, contribution strategies, and how to use this calculator.

A common rule of thumb is 25× your annual expenses (the 4% rule). If you need $60,000/year in retirement, target a $1.5 million nest egg. But your number depends on retirement age, Social Security income, health care costs, lifestyle, and how long you expect to live. Use our reverse planning mode to work backward from your specific goal.

The 4% rule states you can withdraw 4% of your portfolio in year one, then adjust annually for inflation, with a high probability your money lasts 30 years. Based on the Trinity Study using historical market data, it has held up across most periods. For retirements longer than 30 years (early retirement, FIRE), a more conservative 3.5% or 3% withdrawal rate is often recommended.

Traditional accounts give you a tax deduction now but withdrawals are taxed in retirement. Roth accounts use after-tax money now but grow and withdraw tax-free. Roth wins if you expect to be in a higher bracket in retirement. Traditional wins if you expect lower income in retirement. Most advisors suggest having both for flexibility. Use our Tax Estimator to model your tax situation.

Employer matching is effectively free money. A typical match: 50% of your contributions up to 6% of salary. So if you earn $80,000 and contribute 6% ($4,800/yr), your employer adds $2,400 — an immediate 50% return. Always contribute at least enough to capture the full employer match before considering other investments. This calculator includes employer match in your projected balance.

Historical guidance: S&P 500 nominal return ≈ 10%, real (inflation-adjusted) ≈ 7%. A diversified 60/40 portfolio: 7–8% nominal, 4–5% real. For conservative planning use 5–6% nominal or 3–4% real. This calculator lets you toggle between nominal and real returns — using real returns shows results in today's purchasing power.

At 3% annual inflation, $1,000 today buys only about $412 worth of goods in 30 years. Selecting "real" returns shows your projected balance in today's purchasing power, making it easier to understand what your nest egg will actually be worth. "Nominal" shows the raw future dollar amount, which looks larger but overstates real purchasing power.

You can claim as early as 62 (reduced benefit) or delay to 70 (maximum benefit — about 8% more per year after full retirement age of 67). Delaying is generally better if you're healthy and have other income sources. The break-even age for delaying from 62 to 70 is typically around 80. Get your personalized estimate at ssa.gov/myaccount.

Reverse planning starts with your desired retirement goal and works backward to answer: How much do I need to save each month? Enter your target nest egg, current savings, years to retirement, and expected return — and the calculator solves for the required monthly and annual contribution using the future value of annuity formula. It also shows required return rate if you keep current contributions, and years until goal at your current pace.

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Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates for educational and planning purposes only and does not constitute financial, tax, legal, or investment advice. Projections assume constant returns and contributions and do not account for market volatility, changing tax laws, healthcare costs, or other real-world variables. Actual retirement outcomes may differ significantly. Social Security estimates are approximations. Consult a licensed financial advisor or CFP before making retirement planning decisions.