Project your retirement savings and estimate monthly income based on your contributions
This calculator projects your retirement savings from today's balance, ongoing contributions, and an assumed return — then estimates the income that nest egg can support. It connects the two questions every plan must answer: what will I have, and will it be enough?
The classic benchmark is 25× your expected annual spending, the amount from which a ~4% initial withdrawal rate has historically sustained a 30-year retirement. Your number moves with your spending, retirement age, and other income like Social Security or pensions.
Target nest egg ≈ Annual retirement spending × 25Start with 25× the annual spending your portfolio must cover after Social Security and pensions. Spending $60,000 with $24,000 of Social Security means covering $36,000 — roughly a $900,000 target. Earlier retirements and conservative assumptions push the multiple higher.
A guideline from historical U.S. market studies: withdrawing 4% of the portfolio in year one, then adjusting that dollar amount for inflation, survived every historical 30-year period tested. It's a planning benchmark, not a guarantee — flexibility to cut spending in bad markets materially improves the odds.
A common target is 15% of gross income including employer match, more if you started late. The honest answer comes from working backwards: this calculator shows whether your current rate reaches your target by your intended age — and what rate would.
Traditional contributions save taxes now and are taxed in retirement; Roth is taxed now and tax-free later. Higher earners often favor traditional; people early in their careers or in low brackets often favor Roth. Many savers hedge with both. A tax professional can advise on your bracket specifics.
Your retirement number isn't about your salary — it's 25 times what you spend. How the rule works, what it looks like at real spending levels, and how to catch up.