🏖️ Retirement Calculator

The amount varies based on your lifestyle and expenses, but a common rule of thumb is to aim for 25 times your annual expenses. This calculator helps you determine your specific retirement needs based on your current savings, contributions, and desired retirement income.

The 4% rule suggests withdrawing 4% of your retirement savings in the first year, then adjusting for inflation. While this was based on historical data, many experts now recommend 3-3.5% for more conservative planning, especially with longer life expectancies.

Inflation reduces purchasing power over time. A dollar today will buy less in the future. This calculator accounts for inflation by showing both future dollar amounts and today's equivalent value, helping you understand the real impact on your retirement income.

Historical stock market returns average around 7-10% annually, but this varies by time period. For conservative planning, use 6-7% for a balanced portfolio. Remember that past performance doesn't guarantee future results.

Review your retirement plan annually or when major life changes occur (marriage, children, job changes, etc.). Market conditions, inflation rates, and your personal circumstances can change significantly over time.

This depends on your withdrawal rate, investment returns, and life expectancy. This calculator's timeline simulator shows projected account balances throughout retirement, helping you see if and when your money might run out.

This calculator focuses on your personal retirement savings. For a complete picture, consider your Social Security benefits and any pension income as additional sources of retirement income alongside your calculated savings.

Future dollars are the actual amounts you'll have, while today's dollars show the purchasing power adjusted for inflation. For example, $1 million in 30 years might only have the buying power of $400,000 today with 3% inflation.

Delaying retirement has a triple benefit: you save more money, your existing savings grow longer, and you have fewer years of retirement to fund. This combination can significantly improve your retirement security.

Focus on maximizing contributions to tax-advantaged accounts, consider catch-up contributions if you're 50+, and potentially delay retirement. The calculator's smart insights will show you the impact of increasing your savings rate.

Market volatility is a real risk. Consider more conservative return assumptions, build an emergency fund, and maintain flexibility in your retirement timing. Diversification across asset classes can also help manage risk.

Many experts recommend gradually reducing stock allocation as you approach retirement (target-date funds do this automatically). This helps protect your savings from market volatility when you're closer to needing the money.