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🏖️ Retirement Calculator
There are two retirement questions most people get wrong. First: am I saving enough? Second: do I have any clue what "enough" means? This calculator answers the first by projecting your 401(k) / IRA balance at any target retirement age, with employer match and expected returns. For the second, multiply your annual retirement spending by 25 — that's a reasonable target using the 4% withdrawal rule. If you spend $60k a year, aim for $1.5M. If that number feels distant, the trick is starting earlier rather than saving more — every decade of compounding multiplies what you have, regardless of how much you add.
Examples
age 30 → 65, $25k start, $1,000/mo, 7%, 50% employer match up to 6%Projected at 65: ~$2.2Mage 45 → 65, $50k start, $1,500/mo, 7%, no matchProjected at 65: ~$960kLate starters need higher contributions to hit similar targets.
age 25 → 60, $10k start, $2,000/mo, 8%Projected at 60: ~$4.5MFrequently asked questions
How much do I need to retire?
A common rule is 25× your annual expenses (the 4% withdrawal rule). If you spend $60k/year in retirement, target $1.5M. Adjust up if you retire early or expect long life.
What return should I assume?
Historical US stock returns are ~7% real (after inflation). Many advisors use 6-7% for planning to stay conservative. Bond-heavy portfolios should assume lower.
Should I prioritize 401k or IRA?
First: contribute enough to get full employer match (free money). Then: max Roth/Traditional IRA ($7k in 2026). Then: more 401k up to the limit.
Roth vs Traditional?
Roth = pay tax now, withdraw tax-free. Traditional = deduct now, pay tax on withdrawal. Roth wins if you expect higher tax rates later (most younger / lower-income workers).
Does this account for taxes and inflation?
No — the projection is nominal dollars and pre-tax for traditional accounts. For real purchasing power, subtract ~2-3% inflation per year from the return assumption.
About this calculator
Retirement Calculator runs entirely in your browser using standard formulas. No data is sent to any server. We don't share your inputs with lenders, brokers, or anyone else — there's no funnel and no follow-up email.
Related tools
- 📈 Compound Interest Calculator — Future value with compound interest. Configurable contribution & compounding frequency.
- 🎯 Savings Goal Calculator — How long to reach a target? Or how much to save monthly?
- 📈 Inflation Calculator — What is $X worth in Y years given Z% inflation? Past and future value.
Why this calculator
vs typical free finance-calculator sites
| RichCalcs | Typical free site | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Signup required | No | Often (for full results) |
| Ads inside the calculator | No | Yes (banner + sidebar) |
| Lead capture (email / phone) | No | Yes — sold to lenders |
| Data sent to server | No (browser-only) | Yes (analytics + tracking) |
| Amortization schedule | Full table | Often summary only |
| Bookmarkable URL per calc | Yes | Mixed |
| Loads in under 1s | Yes (static) | Often slow (ad tracking) |
| Open source | Yes | No |