Retirement Calculator
Project your retirement savings growth from current contributions, return, and timeline.
Projected nest egg at age 65
$1,015,810
Use 7% return for inflation-adjusted (real-dollar) projection. Doesn't model fees, taxes, or sequence-of-returns risk.
Year-by-year breakdownShow table ▾Hide ▴
| Age | Contributed | Growth | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | $50,000 | $0 | $50,000 |
| 36 | $56,000 | $3,811 | $59,811 |
| 37 | $62,000 | $8,331 | $70,331 |
| 38 | $68,000 | $13,611 | $81,611 |
| 39 | $74,000 | $19,707 | $93,707 |
| 40 | $80,000 | $26,678 | $106,678 |
| 41 | $86,000 | $34,586 | $120,586 |
| 42 | $92,000 | $43,499 | $135,499 |
| 43 | $98,000 | $53,491 | $151,491 |
| 44 | $104,000 | $64,638 | $168,638 |
| 45 | $110,000 | $77,025 | $187,025 |
| 46 | $116,000 | $90,742 | $206,742 |
| 47 | $122,000 | $105,884 | $227,884 |
| 48 | $128,000 | $122,554 | $250,554 |
| 49 | $134,000 | $140,862 | $274,862 |
| 50 | $140,000 | $160,928 | $300,928 |
| 51 | $146,000 | $182,879 | $328,879 |
| 52 | $152,000 | $206,850 | $358,850 |
| 53 | $158,000 | $232,987 | $390,987 |
| 54 | $164,000 | $261,448 | $425,448 |
| 55 | $170,000 | $292,400 | $462,400 |
| 56 | $176,000 | $326,024 | $502,024 |
| 57 | $182,000 | $362,511 | $544,511 |
| 58 | $188,000 | $402,070 | $590,070 |
| 59 | $194,000 | $444,923 | $638,923 |
| 60 | $200,000 | $491,307 | $691,307 |
| 61 | $206,000 | $541,478 | $747,478 |
| 62 | $212,000 | $595,709 | $807,709 |
| 63 | $218,000 | $654,295 | $872,295 |
| 64 | $224,000 | $717,549 | $941,549 |
| 65 | $230,000 | $785,810 | $1,015,810 |
👉 Wondering if a target is enough? See what you can retire on — income from $250k to $5M at a 3–5% withdrawal rate.
A retirement calculator estimates what your nest egg will be worth on the day you stop working. It takes what you have saved today, what you add each month, an assumed annual return, and the number of years until retirement, then compounds it all forward.
The goal is not a guaranteed number. Markets do not deliver a smooth 7% every year, and inflation quietly erodes the buying power of the total. The value of the exercise is seeing how sensitive your outcome is to the few levers you actually control: how much you contribute and how many years you stay invested.
Run it with conservative and optimistic return assumptions to get a realistic range rather than a single false-precision figure.
How this calculator works
The calculator splits your balance into two pieces and compounds each. Your existing balance grows as a lump sum: FV = PV x (1+r)^n. Your ongoing deposits grow as an annuity: FV = PMT x [((1+r)^n - 1) / r]. For monthly contributions, r is the monthly rate (annual return / 12) and n is the number of months. Example: a $50,000 balance plus $500/month for 30 years at a 7% annual return uses r = 0.07/12 and n = 360. The existing balance grows to about $405,800, the contributions grow to about $610,000, for a combined total near $1,015,800. Raising the monthly deposit or extending the timeline moves that total far more than small changes in the assumed return.
What affects the number
- Time in the market: because growth compounds, the earliest dollars you invest do the most work. Starting ten years sooner often beats contributing more later.
- Assumed rate of return: a diversified stock-heavy portfolio has historically returned more than bonds or cash, but with larger swings. Test a range instead of banking on one number.
- Contribution amount and consistency: steady monthly investing (dollar-cost averaging) both builds the balance and smooths out your average purchase price.
- Inflation: a projected $1 million is worth less in future dollars. Subtracting an inflation rate from your return gives a real, purchasing-power view.
- Fees: an expense ratio or advisory fee of even 1% per year compounds against you and can cost a meaningful share of the final balance over decades.
- Taxes and account type: pre-tax, Roth, and taxable accounts are taxed differently at withdrawal, which changes how much of the projected balance you actually keep.
Frequently asked questions
What rate of return should I use for a retirement calculator?
There is no single correct number, so test a range. A common conservative-to-moderate band is 5% to 7% for a diversified, stock-heavy long-term portfolio, before inflation. Using a lower return, or subtracting about 2-3% for inflation, gives you a more cautious real-dollar estimate. Never assume the historical average will repeat exactly over your specific timeline.
How much do I need to retire?
It depends on your spending, not a universal target. A widely cited rule of thumb is to save roughly 25 times your expected annual retirement expenses, which pairs with a 4% initial withdrawal rate. If you expect to spend $60,000 a year beyond Social Security and pensions, that points toward about $1.5 million. Treat this as a starting frame, then adjust for your health, longevity, and how flexible your spending can be.
Does this calculator account for inflation?
Only if you tell it to. The simplest way to handle inflation is to reduce your assumed return by an estimated inflation rate, for example using 4-5% instead of 7%, which expresses the result in today's dollars. Otherwise the projected balance is in future dollars and will overstate what it can actually buy.
Is Social Security included in the projection?
No. This tool projects the growth of your personal savings and investments only. Social Security is a separate income stream you should estimate using your statement at ssa.gov and add on top of the withdrawals your nest egg can support.
This calculator provides general estimates for educational purposes only and is not financial, tax, or investment advice. Your actual results depend on your specific situation, tax rules, market returns, and the current year's IRS limits.