Every year you delay costs you more than you think. Enter your numbers and find out exactly where you stand, before it’s too late.
How to Use the Free Retirement Calculator
- Current Age — How old you are today. The younger you start, the more time compound growth has to work for you.
- Retirement Age — When you plan to stop working. The default is 65. Full Social Security benefits kick in at 67 for most people born after 1960.
- Life Expectancy — How long your money needs to last. Default is 90. If longevity runs in your family, bump this up.
- Current Savings — What you have saved across all retirement accounts today. Start at $0 if you are just beginning.
- Monthly Contribution — What you add each month. Even $100 per month makes a massive difference over 30 years.
- Expected Annual Return — The S&P 500 has averaged 7 to 10% historically. Use 6 to 7% for a conservative estimate.
- Account Type — Select your account: 401k, Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, or Taxable. The calculator automatically adjusts the tax math for each. Roth IRA withdrawals are tax-free and the tax rate field will zero out automatically when you select it.
- Tax Rate — Your estimated tax bracket in retirement. Most retirees fall between 12 and 22%.
- Inflation Rate — Default is 3%, the US historical average. This adjusts what your money is actually worth in today’s dollars.
- Target Balance — Your retirement goal. The calculator tells you whether you will hit it and by exactly how much.
- Retirement Income Needed — Toggle between monthly or annual. Enter what you will need to live comfortably. The calculator compares this against what your portfolio can actually generate after taxes.
- Hit Calculate — See your full retirement picture instantly.
Pro tip: Try switching your account type from 401k to Roth IRA and hit Calculate again. The tax impact box will show you exactly how much you would save in lifetime taxes. The number will surprise you.
What Does This Retirement Calculator Show You?
Most people have no idea if they’re on track for retirement. They guess. They hope. They wait.
This free retirement calculator shows you the truth in under 60 seconds:
- Projected balance at retirement (nominal and inflation-adjusted in today’s dollars)
- After-tax monthly income so you know what your portfolio actually generates
- Target balance analysis: green if you hit your goal, red if you don’t, with the exact surplus or shortfall
- Income gap analysis showing whether your portfolio covers what you need each month
- How long your money lasts and at what age it runs out
- A year-by-year chart showing both the growth phase and drawdown phase together
What Does This Retirement Calculator Show You?
Most people have no idea if they’re on track for retirement. They guess. They hope. They wait.
This free retirement calculator shows you the truth in under 60 seconds:
- Projected balance at retirement (nominal and inflation-adjusted in today’s dollars)
- After-tax monthly income so you know what your portfolio actually generates
- Target balance analysis: green if you hit your goal, red if you don’t, with the exact surplus or shortfall
- Income gap analysis showing whether your portfolio covers what you need each month
- How long your money lasts and at what age it runs out
- A year-by-year chart showing both the growth phase and drawdown phase together
What Is the 4% Rule?
The 4% rule is the most widely used retirement withdrawal guideline. It says that if you withdraw 4% of your portfolio in year one and adjust for inflation each year after, your money should last at least 30 years.
This calculator uses the 4% rule to estimate your monthly income in retirement. It is a starting point, not a guarantee, but it is the same framework used by professional financial planners worldwide.
Want to see how your savings grow before retirement? Use our Savings and Investment Calculator to project compound growth year by year.
Carrying debt into retirement? Use our Debt Payoff Calculator to eliminate it before you stop working. Every dollar of debt you pay off is a dollar your retirement savings don’t have to cover.