How this calculator works
Savings grow each year at your pre-retirement return while contributions rise with your raises. Retirement income needed is a share of your final pay, minus Social Security grown with inflation. The savings needed is the present value of those withdrawals through your plan age at your retirement return, and any shortfall is turned into extra monthly savings.
Worked example
With the example values below: On track, $496,840 surplus (savings last past age 90). Change any number above to run your own.
What you enter
| Input | Example |
|---|---|
| About you | |
| Current age | 30 |
| Retirement age | 67 |
| Plan to age | 90 |
| Annual income | $85,000 |
| Savings | |
| Current retirement savings | $50,000 |
| Monthly contribution | $800 |
| Annual raise | 3% |
| Return before retirement | 7% |
| Return in retirement | 5% |
| Retirement needs | |
| Income needed (% of final pay) | 75% |
| Social Security / month (today's $) | $2,000 |
| Inflation | 2.5% |
How much you need to retire
A common estimate is that you'll need 70% to 85% of your pre-retirement income each year, since some costs fall away, such as commuting, payroll taxes and retirement saving, while healthcare often rises. Subtract expected Social Security and any pension; what's left has to come from savings.
The 4% guideline converts that gap into a target: multiply the yearly amount by 25. If you need $40,000 a year from savings, aim for about $1 million.
How much to save
Many planners suggest saving about 15% of gross income, including any employer match, starting in your 20s or early 30s. Starting later means saving more: someone starting at 45 may need 25% or more to catch up.
Rough checkpoints often quoted are about one times your salary saved by 30, three times by 40, six times by 50 and eight to ten times by retirement age.
Where to save, in order
- 401(k) or 403(b) up to the full employer match; see the 401(k) calculator.
- A Roth IRA or traditional IRA.
- More in the 401(k), up to the annual limit.
- A health savings account if you have a high-deductible health plan.
- A taxable brokerage account for anything beyond.
Assumptions to check
Small changes in assumptions move the result a lot. Try a lower return, higher inflation and a longer life expectancy, such as age 95, to see how resilient the plan is. Claiming Social Security later raises the benefit; see the Social Security calculator. Once retired, the how long will my money last calculator tests withdrawals.
Frequently asked questions
How much do I need to retire?
Estimate yearly spending in retirement, subtract Social Security and pensions, and multiply the gap by 25 under the 4% guideline. Needing $40,000 a year from savings implies about $1 million.
How much should I save for retirement each month?
About 15% of gross pay, including any employer match, if you start in your 20s or early 30s. On $70,000, that's about $875 a month. Later starters need to save more.
Am I on track for retirement?
Common checkpoints are one times your salary by 30, three times by 40, six times by 50 and eight to ten times by 67. The calculator gives a more precise answer with your own numbers.
What return should I assume for retirement planning?
Many planners use 5% to 7% before retirement for a stock-heavy portfolio and 4% to 5% in retirement for a more conservative mix, with 2.5% to 3% inflation.
What is the 4% rule?
Withdraw 4% of your portfolio in the first year of retirement, then raise the amount with inflation. Historically, that has lasted at least 30 years in most market conditions.
Grow what this calculator projects.
TruthSayer AI sends quantitative stock signals across valuations, earnings and dark-pool activity, each one traded in its own funded account first.
Estimates for planning only, not financial, tax or legal advice. Tax tools use 2026 federal figures (brackets, $16,100 / $32,200 standard deduction, $19,000 gift exclusion, $15M lifetime exemption). Rates shown as defaults are examples; replace them with quotes you actually receive.