Retirement Calculator | How Much Do I Need?

Your Details

Calculate how much you need to retire comfortably. Set a target retirement income, model safe withdrawal rates, and factor in Social Security and inflation.

Set current age

Choose retirement age

Enter savings

Add contributions

Quick Start Guide

  1. Set current age: Your starting point.
  2. Choose retirement age: When you plan to stop working.
  3. Enter savings: Current nest egg (401k, IRA, etc).
  4. Add contributions: How much you save each month.
  5. Review projection: See whether you are on track to meet your goals.

Understanding Your Retirement Number

Projected nest egg vs. nest egg needed — two different questions

Your projected nest egg is what your current savings and contribution rate will actually grow to. The nest egg needed is what you would need to support your target income. The gap between the two — the shortfall — is the number that tells you whether to save more, retire later, or adjust your income expectations.

Your withdrawal rate assumption drives everything downstream

The withdrawal rate (often set near the traditional 4% rule) converts your nest egg into an annual income figure. That 4% figure is a historical rule of thumb, not a guarantee — some research argues for a more conservative 3–3.5% for longer retirements. Try the calculator at a couple of different withdrawal rates to see how sensitive your income estimate is to this one assumption.

Where Social Security fits in

Social Security benefit is entered separately and added on top of what your savings generate — it directly reduces how much your own nest egg needs to produce. Enter today's dollar estimate of your expected monthly benefit (available from your Social Security statement) rather than a guess; the calculator carries it forward by your inflation rate to the year you retire, the same dollars as your target income.

Simple vs. Advanced mode

Simple mode projects your nest egg from current savings and contributions. Advanced mode adds the nest-egg-needed and shortfall comparison against a target retirement income, plus Social Security and inflation-adjusted income.

What this calculator does not cover

This projects a single fixed return rate and a flat withdrawal rate — it does not model market volatility, sequence-of-returns risk, healthcare cost inflation, required minimum distributions, or changing tax brackets in retirement. Treat the result as a planning estimate, not a guaranteed income figure.

Features

Retirement Projections: Estimate future savings based on growth assumptions.

Retirement Readiness: See a 0-100% readiness score comparing your projected nest egg to what your income goal requires, with plain-language recommendations.

Withdrawal Rate: See the yearly income your nest egg gives at the withdrawal rate you choose.

Visual Charts: Interactive charts for wealth accumulation.

Common Use Cases

Nest Egg Projection: enter current savings, contributions, and growth rate for a future balance, and view projection charts and export results.

Income Planning: estimate the income a withdrawal rate gives (for example, the 4% rule), and try another rate to see how much it changes.

Early Retirement: set any retirement age and a target income, and see the nest egg that income needs at your withdrawal rate. At 4% that is the FIRE number, 25 times the income your savings must provide.

Contribution Planning: raise your monthly contribution and measure the impact.

Frequently Asked Questions

A common guideline is to save 25 times your annual expenses (the 4% rule), which lets you withdraw 4% annually with a low risk of running out. Enter your desired retirement income, current age, retirement age, and existing savings in Advanced mode to see the nest egg needed and whether you're on track.
The 4% rule suggests withdrawing 4% of your retirement nest egg annually, adjusted for inflation. This strategy aims to make savings last 30 years. The calculator uses your withdrawal rate (4% by default) to work out the nest egg needed for your target income.
Social Security benefits reduce the nest egg needed for retirement. Enter your estimated Social Security benefit to see how it supplements your savings. Benefits typically replace 30-40% of pre-retirement income for average earners.
The earlier the better due to compound interest. A 25-year-old saving $500/month until 65 could accumulate roughly $1.3M at a 7% return; starting the same contribution at 35 yields only around $600K. But it is never too late to start — every year of saving helps.
An employer match is free money. If your employer matches 50% up to 6% of your salary, contribute at least 6% to get the full match. Not taking the match is like leaving part of your salary on the table.
Increasing your monthly contribution, delaying your retirement age, or adjusting your expected return assumption all raise your projected nest egg — try each independently in the calculator to see which has the biggest impact on your shortfall. Catch-up contributions (available at age 50+) can also help close the gap.

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