Retirement Savings Calculator
Find out if you're on track to retire comfortably. Project your savings growth, calculate your retirement income gap, and see how long your portfolio will last.
Your Situation
Assumptions
You Have a Savings Gap
You need to save an additional $491/month to fully fund your retirement at a 4% withdrawal rate. Your projected savings of $2,842,132 falls short of the $3,398,167 needed by $556,035.
Retirement Projection
Savings Target
Portfolio Trajectory
Accumulation phase (green) through retirement, then drawdown (amber/red)
Key Assumptions
Projections assume constant returns and inflation. Actual results will vary. Social Security benefits are assumed to grow with inflation. This is a simplified model — consult a financial advisor for personalized planning.
Retirement Planning Fundamentals
Retirement planning boils down to one question: Will my portfolio plus Social Security generate enough income to cover my spending for the rest of my life? This calculator projects your savings growth through your working years and models the drawdown through retirement to answer that question.
The 4% Rule
The 4% rule (from the 1994 Trinity Study) suggests you can withdraw 4% of your portfolio in year one of retirement, then adjust for inflation each year, and have a high probability of not running out of money over 30 years. A $1 million portfolio supports about $40,000/year in withdrawals. This calculator uses the 4% rate as a baseline but also shows your actual withdrawal rate based on your inputs.
Why Inflation Matters
At 3% inflation, $80,000 in today's dollars requires about $194,000 in 30 years to maintain the same purchasing power. This calculator adjusts your target retirement income for inflation so you see the real gap, not a nominal one that understates how much you actually need.
Social Security's Role
Social Security replaces roughly 30-40% of pre-retirement income for average earners. The average benefit in 2026 is about $1,900/month ($22,800/year). Higher earners get more in absolute terms but replace a lower percentage of income. Social Security is inflation-adjusted, which makes it an extremely valuable “floor” under your retirement income — the portion your portfolio doesn't need to cover.
How Much Do You Need?
A common rule of thumb: save 25 times your annual spending gap (total spending minus Social Security). If you need $80,000/year and Social Security covers $24,000, your gap is $56,000 — requiring $1.4 million. But this varies by retirement age, expected longevity, risk tolerance, and whether you have pension income or other sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
What return should I assume?A balanced stock/bond portfolio has historically returned 6-7% after inflation. During retirement, a more conservative 5-6% is common as you shift toward bonds. This calculator uses a single rate for simplicity — consider using a slightly lower rate for a more conservative estimate.
When should I start Social Security? You can claim as early as 62 (at a reduced benefit) or delay until 70 (at a 24-32% increase over your full retirement age benefit). For each year you delay past 62, your benefit increases by roughly 6-8%. Our Social Security Break-Even Calculator can help you analyze the optimal claiming age.
Is the 4% rule still valid?It was designed for a 30-year retirement starting at age 65. If you retire early (before 60), a 3.5% or even 3% withdrawal rate is safer. If you retire later or have pensions, you may be able to withdraw more. The key insight is flexibility — reducing spending slightly in down markets dramatically improves portfolio survival.