How much do I need to retire?

A common rule of thumb is to aim for 25 times your desired annual retirement spending. For example, if you want to spend $60,000 per year, a rough target is $1.5 million. Our calculator refines this based on your age, savings, contributions, investment return, and Social Security or pension income.

What is a safe withdrawal rate in retirement?

The classic "4% rule" suggests you can withdraw 4% of your starting portfolio in the first year of retirement and adjust that dollar amount for inflation each year, with a high chance of not running out of money over 30 years. However, market conditions, your risk tolerance, and retirement length matter. Our tool lets you test different withdrawal rates and see how long your money may last.

Should I include Social Security or pension in this calculator?

Yes. You can enter estimated monthly Social Security and pension income. The calculator treats these as guaranteed income that reduces how much you need to withdraw from your investments each year.

What investment return should I assume?

For long-term planning, many planners use 4–7% per year before inflation for a diversified stock/bond portfolio. To be conservative, you can use a lower number. The calculator lets you instantly see how different return assumptions change your retirement readiness.

How often should I update my retirement plan?

Review your retirement plan at least once a year, or whenever you have a major life change such as a new job, marriage, divorce, home purchase, or inheritance. Updating your inputs in the calculator regularly helps you stay on track and adjust savings or retirement age if needed.

Retirement Calculator & Planning Hub

Estimate how much you need to retire, how long your savings will last, and how changes in savings rate, retirement age, and investment returns affect your plan.

Interactive Retirement Calculator

Current age

Planned retirement age

Current retirement savings

Annual contribution until retirement

Expected annual investment return (before retirement)

6.0%

Expected annual return in retirement

4.0%

Desired annual spending in retirement (today's dollars)

Monthly Social Security / pension income (combined, in today's dollars)

You can estimate this from SSA, pension statements, or your HR portal.

Inflation rate

2.0%

Years in retirement (planning horizon)

Target initial withdrawal rate

4.0%

Used to compare your projected nest egg to the classic “4% rule”.

Retirement readiness summary

Run a calculation

Projected nest egg at retirement: $0
Required nest egg (based on spending & horizon): $0
Gap / surplus at retirement: $0
Implied withdrawal rate on projected nest egg: 0%

Will your money likely last?

Assuming you withdraw enough (after Social Security/pension) to cover your desired spending, adjusted for inflation:

Estimated years your portfolio can sustain withdrawals: –
Planned years in retirement: 30
Risk of running out early: –

Quick “what‑if” tweaks

See how small changes improve your plan.

How this retirement calculator works

This tool is designed to be more transparent than many “black box” retirement calculators. It separates the accumulation phase (while you are working and saving) from the retirement phase (when you are withdrawing from your investments).

1. Projecting your savings at retirement

We combine your current savings with ongoing contributions and an assumed annual return before retirement.

Future value of current savings:

FV_current = PV × (1 + r)ⁿ

Future value of contributions (ordinary annuity):

FV_contrib = C × $\dfrac{(1 + r)^n - 1}{r}$

Total projected nest egg at retirement:

FV_total = FV_current + FV_contrib

Where PV = current savings, C = annual contribution, r = expected annual return (decimal), n = years until retirement.

2. Required nest egg based on spending and horizon

We first subtract your expected Social Security and pension income from your desired retirement spending to find how much must come from your investments each year.

Net annual spending from portfolio:

NetSpend = DesiredSpending − 12 × MonthlyBenefits

Required nest egg (simplified annuity approach):

Required = NetSpend ÷ (WithdrawalRate)

This is similar to the “4% rule”: if you target a 4% initial withdrawal rate, multiply your net annual spending by 25 (1 / 0.04).

For the years your money may last, we approximate how long a portfolio can sustain inflation‑adjusted withdrawals given your assumed return in retirement. If the return is higher than inflation, your money can last longer than the simple horizon; if lower, it may run out sooner.

3. Understanding the readiness score

On track: projected nest egg is at or above the required amount and estimated years sustainable ≥ planned years.
Needs attention: you are within roughly 10–20% of the target; small changes in savings, retirement age, or spending can close the gap.
At risk: significant shortfall or high implied withdrawal rate (for example, above 5–6%).

How to improve your retirement outlook

There are four main levers you can adjust:

Save more each year (increase your annual contribution).
Work longer (raise your retirement age, which both adds savings years and shortens retirement).
Spend less in retirement (lower your desired annual spending).
Adjust investment risk (which may change your expected return, but also volatility and risk of loss).

Use the “what‑if” suggestions in the calculator output to see how much each lever would need to move to bring you closer to “on track”.

Retirement planning tips (beyond the math)

Diversify your investments. Avoid concentrating your retirement savings in a single stock or asset class.
Coordinate with Social Security and pensions. The age at which you claim benefits can significantly change your monthly income.
Plan for healthcare. Medicare, supplemental insurance, and long‑term care can be major expenses.
Revisit your plan regularly. Markets, inflation, and your life circumstances will change over time.

This calculator is for educational purposes only and does not provide financial, tax, or investment advice. Consider speaking with a qualified financial professional before making major decisions.