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Retirement Calculator
Updated Apr 2026
Estimate how much you will have saved by retirement based on your age, current savings, and monthly contributions.
Retirement Calculator
The retirement math
Retirement planning comes down to three numbers:
- Years until retirement — how long you have to save
- Savings rate — how much you put away each month
- Expected return — what your investments earn on average
This calculator combines them into a future balance. The fourth variable — how much you need — depends on your spending and is covered below.
The 4% rule
The most famous rule in retirement planning is the 4% safe withdrawal rate. It says that if you withdraw 4% of your portfolio the first year of retirement, adjust for inflation each year after, you have a high probability of the money lasting 30 years even through market downturns.
The inverse of 4% is 25x. So your retirement target is about 25 times your annual spending. If you plan to spend $50,000 a year, you need around $1,250,000 saved.
Asset allocation matters
Younger investors can afford to be aggressive — heavy in stocks — because they have decades to ride out downturns. A common rule: subtract your age from 110 to get your stock percentage. A 30-year-old would hold 80% stocks. A 60-year-old would hold 50%.
Closer to retirement, shift toward bonds to reduce volatility. You do not want a 40% crash right when you are about to start drawing income.
Social Security is real, but plan conservatively
For US workers, Social Security will likely provide some retirement income — typically $1,500–$3,000/month depending on your earnings history. Factor that into your spending target, but do not assume it replaces the need to save. Most people will need to supplement Social Security substantially.
What if you are behind?
If this calculator says you are behind on retirement, the three levers are:
- Save more. The biggest single lever. Every extra $100/month matters.
- Work longer. Even two extra years can dramatically improve the math, because you save longer AND draw for less time.
- Spend less in retirement. Lower spending means you need less saved, which can offset years of missed contributions.
You do not have to pick just one.