Retirement Calculator

A common rule of thumb is to have 25x your annual expenses saved (the "4% rule"). For example, if you spend $50,000/year, you'd need $1.25 million. However, this varies based on your retirement age, life expectancy, Social Security benefits, and investment returns. Our calculator provides a personalized estimate based on your specific situation.

The 4% rule suggests you can withdraw 4% of your retirement savings in the first year, then adjust for inflation each year after. Based on historical data, this approach has a high probability of lasting 30 years. For example, with $1 million saved, you'd withdraw $40,000 in year one. Our calculator uses your actual spending needs rather than a fixed percentage.

The best retirement age depends on your savings, health, and goals. Key considerations: 62 - earliest Social Security (reduced benefits), 65 - Medicare eligibility, 67 - full Social Security for most, 70 - maximum Social Security benefits (132% of full). Use our "What If" scenarios to compare different retirement ages.

The average Social Security benefit in 2026 is about $2,000/month. Your actual benefit depends on your 35 highest-earning years. Check your personalized estimate at ssa.gov/myaccount. Claiming at 62 reduces benefits by ~30%, while waiting until 70 increases them by ~32% compared to full retirement age.

Historical stock market returns average about 10% annually (7% after inflation). A balanced portfolio (60% stocks, 40% bonds) has historically returned about 7-8%. We suggest using 7% pre-retirement (growth phase) and 4% during retirement (more conservative). Actual returns will vary year to year.

Inflation erodes purchasing power over time. At 3% inflation, $4,000 today will need to be $7,200 in 20 years to maintain the same lifestyle. Our calculator automatically adjusts your spending needs for inflation, showing you the actual dollars you'll need at retirement—not just today's dollars.