Retirement Calculator
See exactly how much you need to retire, whether you are on track, and what to change to close any gap.
Interactive Retirement Calculator
Result
Use this free retirement calculator to determine your target nest egg, see whether you are on track, and identify the savings gap (if any) that needs to close.
How to use this retirement calculator
Enter your current age, target retirement age, current savings, and income. The calculator returns your target nest egg, projected balance at retirement, and the surplus or shortfall. Toggle advanced settings to add employer match, expected return, and Social Security estimation.
Worked example: 35-year-old earning $75,000
A 35-year-old professional earning $75,000, saving 10% in a 401(k) with a 50% employer match on the first 6%:
- Current savings: $50,000
- Target nest egg (25x $60K expenses): $1,500,000
- Projected at age 65: $1,180,000 assuming 7% return
- Status: Behind by $320,000
- Required savings rate to close gap: 13% (with match)
- Required monthly contribution: ~$830
Either closing the savings gap now, or working 2-3 years past 65, would close the gap. The calculator’s status field surfaces the gap explicitly.
The 25x and 4% rule
The most widely cited rule: 25x your annual retirement expenses gives you a portfolio that supports a 4% safe withdrawal rate. For $60,000/year of expenses:
- Target nest egg: $1,500,000
- 4% withdrawal: $60,000/year for 30+ years with high confidence
The 4% rule assumes a diversified equity portfolio and US historical returns. For conservative portfolios or longer horizons, 3-3.5% is safer. For shorter horizons (under 25 years), 4.5-5% may be sustainable.
Social Security adjustment
Social Security typically replaces 30-40% of pre-retirement income for high earners and up to 50-60% for lower earners. The calculator’s Social Security input reduces the required nest egg:
- $60,000 expenses, $24,000 Social Security → need $36,000/year from portfolio
- That requires $900,000 at 4% rule (not $1,500,000)
Delaying Social Security to age 70 instead of claiming at 62 increases the benefit by 76%. For a higher earner in a married couple, the strategy is typically: lower-earning spouse claims early, higher-earning spouse delays to 70.
Common retirement ages
- Age 62: Earliest Social Security eligibility; benefit reduced by 30%
- Age 65: Medicare eligibility; Social Security at 66-67 still reduced
- Age 67: Full retirement age for those born 1960 or later
- Age 70: Maximum Social Security benefit (32-76% higher than age 62)
Working even 2-3 years past age 65 dramatically improves retirement sustainability by extending savings growth and reducing the number of years the portfolio must cover.
Catch-up contributions at 50+
After age 50, IRS allows additional contributions beyond the standard limits:
- 401(k): Extra $7,500 in 2026 (total $30,000 for those 50+)
- IRA: Extra $1,000 (total $8,000)
For high earners close to retirement, maxing out catch-up contributions for 5-10 years can make a meaningful difference.
Tips for retirement planning
- Start early. $200/month at age 25 becomes $600,000+ at 65 at 7% return. Starting at age 35 with the same contribution gets you to under $300,000 — less than half.
- Capture the full employer match. The match is a 50-100% immediate return. Missing it is the single most common retirement savings mistake.
- Diversify account types. Mix pre-tax (traditional 401(k)/IRA), Roth, and taxable accounts for tax flexibility in retirement.
- Re-evaluate annually. Run the calculator once a year or after major life changes. A raise, a job change, or a new dependent should all trigger a re-run.
- Plan for healthcare. Fidelity estimates $300,000+ per couple for healthcare costs in retirement, assuming 5% medical inflation. Many retirees underestimate this.
- Stress test assumptions. Run the calculator at 5% return instead of 7%. Run it assuming you live to 95. Realistic stress tests surface vulnerabilities before retirement, not after.
Related Tools
- Compound Interest Calculator – Project investment growth with inflation adjustment.
- Emergency Fund Calculator – Figure out how much cash to keep on hand before retirement.
- Compound Interest Calculator – Model 401(k) growth with employer match specifically.
- Net Worth Calculator – Estimate your benefit at different claiming ages.
- Inflation Calculator – See how today’s dollars translate to retirement purchasing power.
| Age | Recommended multiple of income | Median actual (households approaching retirement) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 1x income | 0.5-1x | Building phase; match matters most |
| 40 | 3x income | 1.5-2x | Peak earning; max out contributions |
| 50 | 6x income | 3-4x | Catch-up contributions begin at 50 |
| 60 | 8x income | 5-7x | Final accumulation stretch |
| 67 (full retirement age) | 10-12x | 6-10x | Many retirees fall short of full target |
| 70+ | Sustain via 4% rule | Varies widely | Sequence-of-returns risk peaks |
Compare your options
Two methods, three minutes. The honest trade-off table.
This retirement calculator
- + Personalized target based on income, expenses, and Social Security.
- + Includes 401(k) match and catch-up contributions.
- + Models multiple retirement ages and savings rates.
- − Does not run Monte Carlo simulations.
Fidelity Retirement Score
- + Industry-standard benchmarks used by many 401(k) plans.
- + Clear pass/fail scoring for retirement readiness.
- − Generic assumptions; limited customization.
- − Often shows 'you are behind' to drive engagement.
Personal Capital Retirement Planner
- + Monte Carlo simulation with thousands of scenarios.
- + Pulls actual balances from linked accounts.
- − Requires linking all accounts and creating an account.
- − Upsells wealth management services aggressively.
Who actually uses Retirement Calculator?
Five concrete situations pulled from real sessions, with the exact inputs people paste in.
A target to aim at and a savings rate that gets them there.
Enter current age, target retirement age, current savings, and income. The calculator returns the nest egg you need and the monthly savings required to reach it.
Whether they are on track or behind.
Run the calculator with current balances and contributions. The output shows whether the projected nest egg covers the target — and what changes would close any gap.
A realistic catch-up plan if behind.
The calculator models catch-up contributions, partial retirement, and delayed retirement to find the combination that closes the gap.
Whether their withdrawal rate is sustainable.
Enter current balance, withdrawal rate, and expected returns. The calculator runs Monte Carlo-style scenarios and returns the probability of the portfolio lasting through retirement.
A combined picture of household retirement readiness.
Run two scenarios — one for each spouse — and combine. The calculator returns a household target that factors in joint Social Security, joint expenses, and survivor benefits.
A retirement calculator that shows your real number — not generic 'save 10%' advice
Most retirement advice is generic — 'save 10-15%' or 'you need $1 million.' This tool calculates your specific target based on your income, expenses, Social Security, and timeline. It shows whether you are on track, what gap exists, and what changes close it. Whether you are 25 or 55, the output is actionable and specific to your situation.
Target based on your actual numbers
Enter your current age, retirement goal, current savings, and income. The target reflects when you need to retire, what your expenses will be, and what Social Security covers. Generic rules miss all of these inputs.
Shows the savings gap explicitly
The output states whether you are on track, ahead, or behind, and by how much. A specific shortfall can be addressed with a specific savings increase or retirement age delay.
Includes 401(k) employer match
Employer match is often 50-100% of your contribution, with no other investment offering that return. The calculator includes match in the projection automatically.
No account, no linking
Inputs stay in your browser. No account creation, no account linking, no marketing follow-up.
What you only get here: a personalized retirement target with on-track / behind / ahead status — without linking your accounts or subscribing to a wealth management service.