Home › Retirement › Retirement calculator
Education only. This does math on the numbers you type. It doesn't tell you what to invest in.
See about how much you'd need saved to retire, where your current saving puts you, and how much more a year would close the gap. All in today's dollars.
| Example | You'd need | You'd have | Extra a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age 40, retire at 67: $50,000 saved, $10,000 a year, spend $60,000, Social Security $26,040 | $849,000 | $615,011 | $4,970 |
| Age 30, retire at 67: $10,000 saved, $6,000 a year, spend $50,000, Social Security $26,040 | $599,000 | $532,894 | $810 |
| Age 55, retire at 65: $300,000 saved, $20,000 a year, spend $70,000, Social Security $30,000 | $1,000,000 | $684,195 | $26,304 |
| Same as row 1 at a 3% withdrawal rate | $1,132,000 | $615,011 | $10,981 |
Hand check, row 1: the gap is $60,000 − $26,040 = $33,960 a year, and $33,960 ÷ 0.04 = $849,000. Your path: $50,000 × 1.0427 ≈ $144,168, plus $10,000 a year for 27 years ≈ $10,000 × 47.084 = $470,842, about $615,010 in all (the calculator rounds each year to the cent, so it shows $615,011). Short by about $233,990; $233,990 ÷ 47.084 ≈ $4,970 more a year.
Take 4% of your savings in the first year of retirement, then raise that dollar amount with inflation each year. In Bengen's 1994 study of U.S. stock and bond returns since 1926, that never ran out in under 33 years for a portfolio of half stocks and half intermediate-term Treasury notes (Bengen 1994). It's a rule of thumb from past markets, not a promise.
If 4% of your savings must cover the gap, your savings must be the gap ÷ 0.04, which is 25 times the gap. Example: a $33,960 gap × 25 = $849,000.
Every dollar of Social Security or pension shrinks what your savings must pay. The average retired worker gets $2,170 a month from January 2027 (SSA 2027 COLA fact sheet). Your own estimate is free at my Social Security.
Born in 1960 or later? Your full retirement age is 67. Claiming at 62 pays 30% less for life; waiting past 67 raises it until 70 (SSA retirement age). See when to claim.
Money from a traditional 401(k) or IRA is taxed when you take it out, so plan your spending number before or after tax on purpose. Qualified Roth withdrawals are tax-free. Required withdrawals start at 73 (IRS Pub. 590-B).
Up to $24,500 in a 401(k) ($32,500 at 50+, $35,750 at 60 to 63) and $7,500 in an IRA ($8,600 at 50+) (IRS IR-2025-111). See the 2026 limits and the 401(k) match calculator.
Education only, not investment, tax or legal advice. We show IRS rules and do math on the numbers you type; we don't tell you what to buy or which account to pick. Your plan's own rules (its summary plan description) can be stricter. No company pays to be on this page, and there are no partner links.
A common rule of thumb is 25 times the yearly gap between your spending and your Social Security or pension (the 4% rule). Spending $60,000 with $26,040 from Social Security leaves a $33,960 gap, so about $849,000.
Take 4% of your savings in the first year of retirement and raise that amount with inflation each year. In William Bengen's 1994 study of U.S. returns since 1926, that lasted at least 33 years for a half-stock, half-Treasury portfolio. It's based on past markets, not a guarantee.
About $2,170 a month for retired workers starting January 2027, after the 3.6% cost-of-living increase (SSA, Oct. 14, 2026).
No. It's education: math on the numbers you type. It doesn't tell you what to invest in.
Estimates, not financial advice. Taxes, insurance, PMI and fees vary by lender, county and city; confirm with your lender, dealer and state agency before acting.
Was this calculator helpful?
We save only this page, your answer and the time. Nothing you typed.
We email you when top savings rates or our picks change. Email only. We send one email first so you can confirm; every email has a one-click unsubscribe.
Free tools need no account, SSN, or address. Most calculators run in your browser; a few send the numbers you enter to our server to do the math.