Retirement Calculator
Project your retirement savings and monthly income
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Projected Retirement Balance
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Years to Retire
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Monthly Income (4% rule)
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Total You Contribute
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Interest Earned
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How to Read Your Retirement Projection
Your retirement balance projection shows what your savings will grow to by your target retirement age, assuming a consistent rate of return and regular contributions. The "monthly income" figure is based on the widely used 4% safe withdrawal rate — the amount you can withdraw annually without depleting your portfolio over a 30-year retirement.
- The 25× rule for your retirement goal. To fund $4,000/month ($48,000/year) in retirement, you need approximately $1.2 million saved ($48,000 × 25). This is the clearest target number to aim for.
- Employer matching is free money. If your employer matches 50% of contributions up to 6% of salary, contributing at least 6% delivers an instant 50% return on part of your savings — far exceeding any other risk-free investment available.
- Social Security covers part of the gap. The average Social Security benefit in 2026 is approximately $1,900/month. Factor this into your income gap calculation — you may need less from your personal savings than you think.
- Inflation matters for long projections. A $1,500,000 balance in 30 years has significantly less purchasing power than today. Using a 7% return (which is approximately the historical real return after inflation) provides a more honest projection than using the nominal 10% market return.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Use the 25× rule: multiply your desired annual retirement income by 25. Want $60,000/year? You need $1.5 million. This is derived from the 4% safe withdrawal rate — withdrawing 4% of your portfolio annually has historically sustained portfolios for 30+ years based on market data going back to 1926.
Save 10–15% of gross income, including employer match. Starting late (after 40) may require 20–25%. The specific amount depends on your age, current savings, desired retirement income, and expected return rate. This calculator shows you exactly what your specific contribution buys you.
The 4% rule states you can safely withdraw 4% of your starting retirement portfolio annually (adjusting for inflation each year) without running out of money over a 30-year retirement. On a $1,000,000 portfolio, that is $40,000/year or $3,333/month. Some advisors now recommend 3–3.5% for retirements lasting 35+ years.
Start immediately — today. The impact of starting at 25 vs. 35 is enormous due to compound growth. Someone who saves $300/month from age 25 to 65 at 7% will have about $791,000. Starting at 35 with the same contribution yields only $379,000 — less than half — despite only 10 fewer years of saving. Time in the market is irreplaceable.
Use 6–7% for conservative long-term planning with a diversified stock/bond portfolio. This approximately reflects the historical real (inflation-adjusted) return of the US stock market. Using 10% (the nominal historical return) would overstate purchasing power. For bond-heavy portfolios near retirement, 4–5% is more appropriate.