Retirement Calculator
Free retirement calculator. Solves how much you'll have or how much you need, with Social Security, inflation-adjusted view, deplete or perpetuity drawdown, and Excel export.
Frequently asked questions
How much do I need to retire?
A common rule is 25× your desired annual spending (the 4% rule). If you want $60,000/year in retirement income from your portfolio, you need about $1.5M. This calculator refines that by netting out Social Security, applying your actual return and inflation assumptions, and solving for either the deplete-to-zero nest egg or the perpetuity nest egg that never draws down principal.
What is the 4% rule for retirement withdrawals?
The 4% rule, based on the Trinity Study, says a retiree can withdraw 4% of their initial nest egg in year one and adjust for inflation each year, with high historical probability of the portfolio lasting 30 years. Use "Perpetuity" strategy in this calculator for a conservative approximation, or "Deplete" for a longer horizon that draws principal to zero.
How much should I save each month for retirement?
The standard guideline is 15% of gross income including employer match, but the honest answer is whatever hits your target nest egg by your target date. Switch this calculator to "How much do I need?" mode — it solves the exact monthly contribution required, given your current savings, employer match, expected return, and desired retirement income.
Should I use a different return in retirement than in accumulation?
Yes. Most planners use a higher return during accumulation (60-90% stocks, 7-10% nominal) and a lower return in retirement (40-60% stocks, 4-6% nominal) to reflect a more conservative glide path and reduce sequence-of-returns risk. This calculator lets you set both independently.
How does Social Security fit into the calculation?
Enter your expected Social Security in today's dollars per month starting at retirement. The calculator inflates it forward and subtracts it from your desired income before drawing on the portfolio. This dramatically reduces the required nest egg — a $3k/mo SS benefit is worth roughly $700k-$900k of nest egg at retirement, depending on your return and inflation assumptions.
What is sequence-of-returns risk?
Sequence-of-returns risk is the danger that poor market returns in the first few retirement years permanently damage your nest egg, even if long-run average returns are fine. Because you're withdrawing during the drawdown, a 30% loss early on is far worse than the same loss decades later. Mitigations include a lower post-retirement return assumption, a cash buffer of 2-3 years of spending, or dynamic withdrawal rules.