Retirement Calculator
Project your retirement savings and check whether you're on track.
Quick answer
Project retirement savings by growing your current balance and ongoing contributions at an expected annual return until your retirement age, then estimating sustainable income — a common rule of thumb is withdrawing about 4% of the balance in the first year. Inflation reduces future purchasing power, so compare figures in today's dollars.
Assumptions
Social Security or a pension, in today's dollars — added to your portfolio income below.
Projected savings at 65
$1,529,192
≈ $543,450 in today's dollars
You contribute
$334,967
Growth adds
$1,194,226
Years to grow
35
Total, today's dollars
$3,811 /mo
From portfolio (4% rule)
$1,811/mo
Social Security / pension
$2,000/mo
The 4% rule withdraws 4% of the portfolio in the first year, then adjusts for inflation — historically lasting 30+ years.
How the projection works
Your current balance and monthly contributions compound monthly at the expected return until retirement age, with contributions rising each year by the increase you set (to reflect raises). Because a dollar decades away buys less, we also show the balance in today's dollars — discounted by your inflation assumption — so the number means something you can picture.
Turning savings into income
The income estimate uses the 4% guideline: withdraw 4% of the portfolio in year one, then adjust for inflation annually — a rule that historically sustained a diversified portfolio for 30+ years. We add your expected Social Security or pension (entered in today's dollars) to show a realistic total monthly income.
Choosing the assumptions
U.S. stocks have averaged roughly 10% nominal (about 7% after inflation) over the last century, so 7% return with 3% inflation is a common all-stock baseline. Use lower figures for bond-heavy mixes, and remember that sequence-of-returns risk means real outcomes spread widely around any average — revisit the plan yearly.
Frequently asked questions
- How does the Retirement Calculator work?
- Project retirement savings by growing your current balance and ongoing contributions at an expected annual return until your retirement age, then estimating sustainable income — a common rule of thumb is withdrawing about 4% of the balance in the first year. Inflation reduces future purchasing power, so compare figures in today's dollars.
- Is the Retirement Calculator free to use?
- Yes. The Retirement Calculator is completely free, runs entirely in your browser, and requires no account or sign-up. Your inputs never leave your device.
Sources & methodology
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