Retirement Planning Calculator: Find Your Retirement Number
The most critical question in personal finance is deceptively simple: how much do you need to retire? The widely cited 4% rule — developed from the Trinity Study — suggests that you need 25 times your annual expenses saved before you can safely retire. If you spend $60,000 per year, your target retirement nest egg is $1.5 million. If you spend $100,000, you need $2.5 million. This calculator helps you model whether your current savings trajectory will get you there.
Time is the most valuable asset in retirement planning. Someone who starts saving $1,000 per month at age 25 with 7% annual returns will accumulate approximately $2.6 million by age 65. Waiting until age 35 to start the same $1,000/month contribution yields only $1.2 million — less than half — because those first 10 years of compounding produce outsized results. Every year of delay roughly doubles the monthly savings required to reach the same retirement number.
This retirement calculator projects your portfolio growth based on your current savings, monthly contributions, expected return rate, and years until retirement. Use it to test different scenarios: What if you retire at 60 instead of 65? What if you increase contributions by $500 per month? What if market returns average 6% instead of 7%?
Key Data & Benchmarks
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 4% Rule Target (at $60K/yr spending) | $1,500,000 |
| 4% Rule Target (at $80K/yr spending) | $2,000,000 |
| 4% Rule Target (at $100K/yr spending) | $2,500,000 |
| Median Retirement Savings (age 65) | ~$225,000 (US) |
| Recommended Savings Rate | 15-20% of gross income |
| $1,000/mo at 7% for 30 years | $1,219,970 |
| $1,000/mo at 7% for 40 years | $2,625,160 |
| Social Security Average Benefit (2025) | $1,976/month |
Investment Growth Examples
| Scenario | Initial | Monthly | Years | Return | Final Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early Career (25 yrs old) | $10,000 | $500 | 40 | 7% | $1,340,300 |
| Mid Career (35 yrs old) | $50,000 | $1,000 | 30 | 7% | $1,600,970 |
| Catch-Up Saver (45 yrs old) | $150,000 | $2,000 | 20 | 7% | $1,624,700 |
| Late Start (50 yrs old) | $200,000 | $3,000 | 15 | 7% | $1,341,040 |
| Aggressive Target (55 yrs old) | $500,000 | $4,000 | 10 | 7% | $1,677,350 |
Investment Growth Calculator
Who Uses This Calculator?
Determining your retirement number
Calculate the total nest egg you need based on your expected annual expenses in retirement and the 4% safe withdrawal rate — the cornerstone of any retirement plan.
Testing retirement age scenarios
Compare outcomes for retiring at 55, 60, or 65 to see how each extra year of saving and compounding affects your portfolio and sustainable withdrawal amount.
Evaluating contribution increases
Model the impact of raising your 401(k) or IRA contributions by a fixed amount — even an extra $200/month can add hundreds of thousands over a 20-30 year career.
Assessing if you're on track
Enter your current savings and contributions to see whether your projected balance at retirement meets or falls short of your target number, and by how much.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Investment Disclaimer
This calculator is for educational and illustrative purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. All projections use hypothetical constant rates of return that do not reflect actual market conditions. Investments involve risk, including the possible loss of principal. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Consult a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions.