See if you’re on track to retire. This free retirement calculator projects how much your savings will grow by retirement based on your age, contributions and expected return — then estimates the monthly income that nest egg could provide using the 4% rule.
Your plan
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Projected savings at retirement
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Enter your age, retirement age and return
Total invested
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Investment growth
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Est. monthly income (4% rule)
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Years to retirement
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Estimates only, shown in today’s dollars before inflation and tax. Actual returns vary and are not guaranteed.
Use this free retirement calculator to see how much your savings could grow by the time you retire — and how much monthly income that nest egg might provide. Enter your age, retirement age, current savings, contributions and expected return to get an instant projection.
What this retirement calculator shows you
A retirement calculator projects how much you’ll have saved by retirement based on your current savings, monthly contributions, expected return and the years until you retire. It shows your projected nest egg, total invested, investment growth, and an estimated monthly retirement income using the 4% rule.
Seeing the gap between what you’ll contribute and what compounding adds on top is the clearest way to understand why starting early and staying consistent matter so much.
How to use the retirement calculator
Enter your current age and retirement age. The difference is your time to grow savings.
Add your current savings. The total you’ve already set aside for retirement.
Set your monthly contribution. What you plan to add each month.
Enter an expected annual return. A long-term stock-market average is often estimated at 6–7%.
Read your projection. Your nest egg and estimated monthly income update instantly.
How much money do you need to retire?
A popular guideline is the 25x rule: aim to save about 25 times your expected annual spending. It pairs with the 4% rule, which suggests you can withdraw roughly 4% of your savings in the first year of retirement and adjust for inflation after that. So if you’ll need $40,000 a year, you’d target about $1,000,000.
Annual spending in retirement
Target savings (25x)
$30,000
$750,000
$40,000
$1,000,000
$60,000
$1,500,000
$80,000
$2,000,000
How retirement savings growth is projected
The calculator compounds your current savings and your monthly contributions over time. A lump sum grows by:
Future value = P × (1 + r ÷ 12)12 × t
Where P is your current savings, r is your annual return as a decimal, and t is the years until retirement. Each monthly contribution is added and compounds from the moment it’s invested, which is why regular saving has such a large effect over decades.
Retirement projection example
Suppose you’re 30, plan to retire at 65, have $25,000 saved, contribute $500 a month, and earn 7% a year:
Detail
Amount
Total invested
$235,000
Investment growth
$953,000
Projected nest egg
$1,188,000
Est. monthly income (4% rule)
$3,961
You’d contribute $235,000 over 35 years, but compounding adds roughly $953,000 on top — about 80% of the final balance comes from growth, not your own deposits.
Ways to boost your retirement savings
Start as early as you can. Time in the market is the single biggest factor.
Capture the full employer match. An unmatched 401(k) match is leaving free money behind.
Increase contributions with each raise. Saving a slice of every pay rise adds up painlessly.
Use tax-advantaged accounts like a 401(k) or IRA where available.
Keep fees low. High investment fees quietly erode decades of compounding.
Retirement terms glossary
Term
What it means
Nest egg
The total amount you’ve saved for retirement.
4% rule
A guideline that you can withdraw about 4% of savings in year one of retirement.
25x rule
Save roughly 25 times your annual spending to fund retirement.
401(k) / IRA
Tax-advantaged accounts designed for retirement saving.
Employer match
Money your employer adds to your 401(k) up to a limit.
Compound growth
Earning returns on both your contributions and past returns.
Retirement Calculator FAQ
How much money do I need to retire?
A common guideline is the 25x rule: save about 25 times your expected annual spending. If you'll need $40,000 a year, you'd target roughly $1,000,000. This pairs with the 4% rule, which suggests withdrawing about 4% of your savings in the first year of retirement.
What is the 4% rule?
The 4% rule is a guideline that you can withdraw about 4% of your retirement savings in your first year, then adjust that amount for inflation each year, with a reasonable chance the money lasts 30 years. A $1,000,000 nest egg would provide about $40,000 in the first year.
How is retirement savings growth calculated?
Your current savings and each monthly contribution are compounded at your expected annual return until retirement. The longer the time horizon, the larger the share of your final balance that comes from compound growth rather than your own deposits.
How much should I save for retirement each month?
A frequently cited target is saving 15% of your gross income, including any employer match. The right amount depends on your age, current savings and the income you want in retirement — adjust the contribution field to see the impact.
Does this calculator account for inflation?
No. The projection is shown in nominal terms before inflation and tax. Because inflation reduces future purchasing power, your real spending power will be lower than the headline figure, so treat the result as a planning estimate.
At what age can I retire?
There's no single answer — it depends on your savings, expected spending and income sources. This calculator lets you change your retirement age to see how a few more years of saving and compounding changes your projected nest egg.
Is the retirement calculator free to use?
Yes, this retirement calculator is completely free, needs no sign-up, and gives instant results directly in your browser.
