Retirement Calculator

The retirement calculator estimates how much you need saved by retirement age to maintain your desired lifestyle. It uses the 4% withdrawal rule to determine your target portfolio size — the amount that can sustain annual withdrawals without running out of money over a 30-year retirement. The calculator accounts for Social Security income to reduce the amount your portfolio needs to provide, and projects your current savings growth with regular contributions using compound interest. Unlike the FIRE calculator which focuses on early retirement and aggressive savings rates, this calculator is designed for traditional retirement planning with realistic income replacement goals, typically targeting 70-80% of your pre-retirement income.

• Start saving as early as possible — even small amounts grow significantly over decades thanks to compound interest.
• Take full advantage of employer 401(k) matching — it's free money that can add hundreds of thousands to your retirement savings.
• Plan for healthcare costs — a couple retiring at 65 may need $300,000+ for healthcare expenses in retirement.
• Consider delaying Social Security to age 70 — your benefit increases by about 8% for each year you delay past full retirement age.
• Don't forget about inflation — $50,000/year today will only buy about $30,000 worth of goods in 20 years at 3% inflation.

Maria is 35, earns $85,000/year, has $50,000 saved, contributes $800/month, and wants $60,000/year in retirement income at age 65.

• 1Social Security Administration — Retirement Benefits
• 2IRS — Retirement Topics
• 3Investopedia — 4% Rule