Retirement Calculator

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Project retirement savings growth over time.

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Enter your current age, retirement age, current savings, monthly contribution, and expected annual return to project your balance at retirement, total contributions, investment growth, and a simple 4% withdrawal estimate.

Retirement projections depend heavily on return assumptions, contribution consistency, and years until retirement. Social Security, pensions, part-time work, and healthcare costs are outside this calculator unless you model them as separate inputs.

Run optimistic and conservative return scenarios side by side. A one-point change in average annual return over twenty or thirty years can swing projected balances by a large percentage, which is why personal financial planners stress sensitivity analysis.

How to use this tool

Enter ages, savings, and contribution. Optionally set inflation, fees, contribution growth, salary-based employer match, and Social Security / other income. Review nominal vs real projected balance and the illustrative income estimate.

Worked example

Example: age 35 with $50,000 saved, $500/month growing 0%, 7% return, 0.5% fees, and 2.5% inflation until 65 shows a lower real balance than the nominal figure, with optional Social Security added to the 4% income sketch.

When to use this

Rough projection of nest egg at retirement age.
Testing higher contribution rates or employer match scenarios.
Seeing sensitivity to return assumptions over 20–30 years.
Catch-up planning when starting savings in your 40s or 50s.

Common examples

Age 35 with $80,000 saved, $600/month contributions, 7% return to age 65 → projects a balance often in the mid-$800,000s depending on compounding assumptions.
Age 50 with $250,000 saved, $1,200/month, 6% to age 67 → models catch-up contributions before Social Security eligibility.
Late start: age 45 with $40,000 saved, $900/month, 7% to age 65 → shows how doubling contributions partially offsets a shorter runway.
Age 28 with $15,000 saved, $400/month, 7% to age 65 → long runway shows power of early contributions.
Age 55 with $400,000 saved, $2,000/month, 5% to age 67 → catch-up planning before Social Security.

Common mistakes

Omitting employer match from monthly deposits.
Using pre-tax contribution amounts without noting tax on withdrawals.
Ignoring inflation when comparing to today's living expenses.
Assuming a single average return covers every market cycle.

How it works

Enter your current age, retirement age, savings, monthly contribution, expected return, optional fee drag, inflation, contribution growth, employer match, and other retirement income. The calculator compounds monthly at return minus fees, grows contributions each year when set, and reports both nominal and inflation-adjusted balances. Estimated income uses a simple 4% portfolio withdrawal plus other income.

Limitations

Projects savings using constant return and contribution assumptions. Market volatility, taxes, and Social Security are simplified.

Privacy and file handling

Your data stays on your device and is not uploaded.

Accuracy & methodology

This section documents how the calculator works, what it leaves out, and when results were last reviewed. Figures are educational estimates—not professional advice—and are not labeled "current" unless tied to automatically updated reference data.

Formula source or methodology: Projects nest egg from current savings, monthly contributions, expected return, and years until retirement using periodic compounding.
Jurisdiction: United States (generic accumulation model)
Unit system: US dollars; percent; years
Rounding method: Currency amounts round to two decimal places (half up via Math.round × 100 / 100).
Assumptions: Constant average return
Fixed monthly savings until retirement
No withdrawals before retirement age
Known omissions: Not tax, legal, investment, or lending advice. Confirm material decisions with qualified professionals.
2026 IRS contribution limits ($23,500 elective deferral; $7,500 catch-up age 50+; $70,000 combined annual additions under §415(c)) — limits are not enforced in the model
Employer match annual caps, true-up provisions, and vesting schedules
Plan administrative fees and fund expense ratios
Inflation adjustment of future dollars (nominal dollars only unless stated)
Income tax on withdrawals (pre-tax vs Roth treatment)
Required minimum distributions (RMDs) and early withdrawal penalties
Test cases (automated): Positive savings and horizon produce a projected balance
Zero years to retirement is rejected
Version & last verified: Logic version 1.0. Content and formulas last verified 2026-07-06.

Results are estimates for educational purposes and are not financial advice. Investment returns, inflation, taxes, and fees are simplified or omitted. Consult a qualified financial professional for personal guidance.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How is the projected balance calculated?

Current savings grow with monthly compounding, and monthly contributions are added at the end of each month using the standard future-value annuity formula.

What is the 4% rule estimate?

Estimated withdrawals apply 4% of the projected balance per year as a simple planning illustration. It is not financial advice and does not account for inflation, taxes, or market risk.

Are taxes and fees included?

No. Results are estimates based only on savings, contributions, return rate, and time. Taxes, fees, inflation, and contribution changes are not modeled.

Related Retirement Calculator workflows

Explore focused guides that reuse this retirement calculator with different examples and FAQs.

Related comparisons

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Roth IRA vs Traditional IRA

Part of these workflows

This tool is one step in a longer job. Jump straight to your step or open the full workflow guide.

Page last reviewed: July 6, 2026