Retirement Calculator
Find out if you're saving enough to retire comfortably.
Project retirement balance with accumulation, drawdown, and Social Security.
How retirement savings work
Retirement planning has two phases: accumulation while you're working, and drawdown once you stop. How much you end up with depends less on any single contribution than on how long your money has been compounding before you need it. A few years of difference in when you start can shift the final balance significantly.
Enter your current savings, monthly contribution, and target retirement age. The calculator shows your projected balance, how long it lasts at your expected spend rate, and whether the gap between your nominal number and its real purchasing power is something worth addressing now.
The accumulation phase is a future value calculation. Monthly contributions grow at the expected rate, compounded monthly, until retirement. The initial balance compounds separately and is added to the annuity total. The longer the horizon, the more the initial balance dominates over contributions, which is why early savers win even when their contribution amounts are modest.
The drawdown phase runs in reverse. Each month the portfolio pays out the spending target, offset by any Social Security income, and the remainder continues to earn at the expected rate. The portfolio survives as long as the remaining balance stays positive. Social Security isn't a bonus here. It's a direct multiplier on longevity, reducing gross withdrawal requirements month by month.
One number the calculator surfaces that deserves direct attention: the inflation-adjusted balance at retirement. If your projected balance is $1.2M in nominal terms but you retire in 25 years with 3% average inflation, that balance is worth roughly $556,000 in today's purchasing power. The nominal figure is not the real figure. Plan against the real one, and use the inflation calculator alongside this tool to pressure-test what your spending target actually costs in future dollars.
Retirement calculator: common questions
How does the retirement calculator work?
The calculator runs two phases. During accumulation, your current savings and monthly contributions grow at your expected return until retirement. During drawdown, the balance pays out your monthly spending target — offset by Social Security — while continuing to earn on the remaining balance. Results show your projected balance at retirement, monthly income based on the 4% rule, and how many years the money lasts.
What is the 4% rule and why does the calculator use it?
The 4% rule, from financial planner William Bengen's 1994 research, holds that withdrawing 4% of your portfolio in the first year of retirement — adjusting annually for inflation — has historically lasted 30 years across almost all market scenarios. The calculator uses it to estimate sustainable monthly income from your projected balance. It is a planning benchmark, not a guarantee.
Should I include my 401(k) and IRA in my current savings?
Yes. Enter your total across all retirement accounts — 401(k), Roth 401(k), traditional IRA, Roth IRA, and any brokerage accounts you plan to use for retirement. Do not include an emergency fund or money you expect to spend before retirement. The calculator does not separate pre-tax from after-tax accounts — treat the rate and total as a blended figure.
How should I set my Social Security estimate?
Visit ssa.gov/myaccount to see your personalized estimate based on your actual earnings history. The average benefit in 2026 is around $1,900/month, but yours depends on your lifetime earnings and when you claim. Claiming at 62 reduces your benefit; waiting until 70 increases it significantly. The calculator subtracts Social Security from monthly spending to find the net amount your portfolio must cover.
What does the inflation-adjusted retirement balance mean?
Your projected balance at retirement is in nominal future dollars. The inflation-adjusted figure translates that back to today's purchasing power. If you project $1.2 million in 25 years at 3% inflation, that's worth roughly $556,000 in today's terms. Plan against the inflation-adjusted figure — the nominal one overstates what your money will actually buy.