Retirement Calculator
Estimate how much your savings will grow by retirement and what that sum is really worth after inflation.
Reviewed by the CalcCafe editorial team · Last updated 1 July 2026 · How we test our tools
Example
A 30-year-old with $50,000 saved, adding $500/month until age 65 (35 years) at a 7% annual return projects to about $1,475,000. After 2.5% annual inflation, that is roughly $620,000 in today's dollars, with about $260,000 of it being personal contributions and the rest investment growth.
How it works
Enter your current age, target retirement age, current savings, monthly contribution, expected annual return and inflation rate. The tool compounds monthly to project your nest egg and discounts it to today's dollars.
Good to know
The Retirement Calculator projects how large your savings could grow by the time you stop working, then shows what that future sum is actually worth in today's money. You feed it six numbers — your current age, target retirement age, current savings, monthly contribution, expected annual return, and annual inflation — and it compounds your balance month by month until retirement. It is built for anyone doing a quick "am I on track?" gut check: early-career savers, mid-career people adjusting their contribution, or anyone comparing different return and inflation assumptions side by side.
Reach for it when you want to test scenarios rather than produce a precise plan. Bump the monthly contribution by $100 and watch the nest egg move, or drop the return from 7% to 4% to see how a cautious assumption changes the picture. Because everything runs locally and updates as you type, it is fast to iterate on without entering any personal financial details on a server.
Read the output in two layers. The big "projected nest egg" is the raw future-dollar total, but the inflation-adjusted figure is usually the more meaningful one, since it reflects what that money could buy at today's prices. The breakdown then splits the total into what you personally contributed versus investment growth, and the two bars show how much came from your starting savings growing versus your ongoing monthly deposits — a useful way to see when compounding starts doing the heavy lifting.
One caveat worth keeping in mind: the model assumes a single constant return every year and ignores fees, taxes, and contribution increases over time. Real markets rise and fall unevenly, so treat the result as a directional estimate, not a guarantee. A practical habit is to run it twice — once with an optimistic return and once with a conservative one — and plan around the lower number.
Frequently asked questions
What return rate should I assume?
A common long-term assumption for a stock-heavy portfolio is 6-8% annually before inflation. More conservative or bond-heavy mixes often use 4-5%. This tool keeps the rate constant, so lower it if you want a cautious estimate.
Why is the inflation-adjusted value so much lower?
Inflation erodes purchasing power over time. The inflation-adjusted figure shows what your future nest egg could buy in today's dollars, which is usually a more realistic gauge of your actual retirement lifestyle than the raw projected total.
Is my data uploaded anywhere?
No — this calculator runs entirely in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
Is this financial advice?
No. These are educational estimates — consult a qualified financial professional before making decisions.
People also ask
How much should I have saved for retirement by my age?
There is no single right number, but a frequently cited rule of thumb suggests saving roughly 1x your salary by age 30, 3x by 40, 6x by 50, and around 10x by retirement. These are general benchmarks only and your actual target depends on your spending, lifespan, and other income sources.
Does this calculator account for Social Security or a pension?
No. It only projects the growth of the savings and contributions you enter. Any Social Security, pension, or other retirement income would be in addition to the nest egg figure shown.
How does monthly compounding differ from annual compounding?
Monthly compounding applies a fraction of the annual return twelve times a year, so interest is added more often and the balance grows slightly faster than annual compounding at the same nominal rate. This tool uses monthly compounding to match the cadence of monthly contributions.
What is a realistic inflation rate to use?
Long-run inflation in many developed economies has averaged roughly 2-3% per year, though it can spike higher in some periods. The calculator defaults to 2.5%, and you can raise it for a more conservative view of future purchasing power.
Why does most of my nest egg come from growth rather than contributions?
Over long horizons, compounding lets earlier deposits and starting savings generate returns that themselves earn returns, so investment growth often outweighs total contributions. The longer the time to retirement, the larger that growth share tends to be.
Can I include annual contribution increases or a salary raise?
Not directly. The calculator assumes a fixed monthly contribution for the entire period, so you would need to re-run it with different figures or use an average to approximate rising contributions over time.
How accurate are retirement calculators?
They give useful estimates but cannot predict actual outcomes, because real returns vary year to year and factors like fees, taxes, and changing contributions are simplified or excluded. Their main value is comparing scenarios rather than producing an exact future balance.
How much money do you need to retire with $100,000 a year income at 55?
At the common 4% withdrawal guideline you would need 100,000 ÷ 0.04 = $2,500,000, and because retiring at 55 means funding perhaps 35 to 40 years, many planners use a more cautious 3% to 3.5% rate, which raises the target to roughly $2.9 million to $3.3 million. Any pension or Social Security income lowers the amount you must draw from savings, but Social Security cannot start before 62. Remember that $100,000 a year in today's dollars needs to grow with inflation, which is why this calculator shows an inflation-adjusted figure. This is general information, not financial advice.
How much do you have to make to get $3,000 a month in Social Security?
Roughly $89,000 a year in average indexed earnings over your 35 highest-earning years, claimed at full retirement age, using the 2024 bend-point formula: 90% of the first $1,174 of average indexed monthly earnings, 32% up to $7,078, and 15% above that, which produces $3,000 at about $7,440 a month of indexed earnings. Claiming early cuts the benefit by up to 30%, so reaching $3,000 at 62 needs much higher earnings, while waiting until 70 adds 24%. The bend points change every year, so check your own estimate at ssa.gov.
Can I retire at 62 with $400,000 in my 401k?
It is tight but possible if your expenses are low. At a 4% withdrawal rate, $400,000 provides about $16,000 a year, roughly $1,333 a month, meant to last about 30 years. Claiming Social Security at 62 permanently reduces the benefit by about 30% versus claiming at 67, and you must cover health coverage until Medicare at 65. Lower spending, part-time work or delaying retirement a few years all improve the picture; this is general information, not advice.
How long will $750,000 last in retirement at 62?
With no growth, withdrawing $40,000 a year drains $750,000 in 750,000 ÷ 40,000 = 18.75 years, to about age 80, while a 4% withdrawal rate of $30,000 a year with a diversified portfolio has historically lasted 30 years or more. The answer therefore hinges on how much you take out and what return you earn. Because Social Security is reduced when claimed at 62, many retirees draw more from savings early and less once benefits start. Taxes on withdrawals from pre-tax accounts also reduce what you can spend.
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Sources & references
These tools follow our methodology and provide educational estimates only — verify important figures with a qualified professional.