Enter your savings details to see your projected retirement fund
This calculator projects your retirement savings by compounding your current savings and monthly contributions at your expected rate of return until your target retirement age. It then estimates how long those savings will last based on your planned annual withdrawal rate in retirement.
The key variables are: your current savings, monthly contributions, years until retirement, expected rate of return, and planned withdrawal rate. Small changes in any of these — especially the rate of return and years of saving — can dramatically affect the outcome due to the power of compound growth.
The 4% rule is a widely used guideline suggesting you can withdraw 4% of your retirement savings in the first year, then adjust for inflation each subsequent year, and your money should last at least 30 years. This means you need 25 times your desired annual retirement income. If you want $60,000 per year in retirement, you need approximately $1,500,000 in savings.
| Age started | % of income to save | Target by age 67 |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | 10–15% | 10× annual salary |
| 30 | 15–20% | 10× annual salary |
| 35 | 20–25% | 10× annual salary |
| 40 | 25–30% | 10× annual salary |
| 45 | 30%+ | 10× annual salary |
Starting to save at 25 instead of 35 can nearly double your retirement savings, even if you contribute the same total amount. A person saving $500/month from age 25 to 65 at 7% annual return accumulates approximately $1,200,000. Starting at 35 with the same contributions yields only about $567,000 — less than half — because the first 10 years of contributions had 30 extra years to compound.
A common target is 25 times your desired annual retirement spending (based on the 4% rule). If you want $50,000 per year, aim for $1,250,000. Adjust upward for early retirement or conservative assumptions, and downward if you have pension income or Social Security.
A balanced portfolio of stocks and bonds has historically returned 6–8% annually before inflation, or 4–5% after inflation. Use 6–7% for a diversified portfolio, lower for conservative allocations, higher for aggressive stock-heavy portfolios. After retirement, use a more conservative estimate.
The 4% rule was based on historical US market data from 1926–1994. Some financial planners now suggest 3–3.5% for more conservative planning, especially for early retirees who need their savings to last 40+ years or in lower-return environments.
If your employer offers a 401(k) match, contribute at least enough to get the full match — that is an immediate 50–100% return on your money. After maximising the match, an IRA (especially Roth) may offer more investment choices and flexibility.
Inflation erodes purchasing power over time. At 3% inflation, $1,000 today will buy only about $553 worth of goods in 20 years. Use inflation-adjusted (real) returns in your projections, or plan for higher nominal withdrawals that increase with inflation each year.