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How this retirement calculator works
Enter your current age and the age you want to retire, then your current savings, what you contribute each month, and anything your employer adds. Pick an expected return, and the calculator grows your balance month by month to your retirement date. Every figure updates live as you type, so you can test retiring earlier, saving more, or a different return and see the effect straight away.
How your retirement balance is projected
Your balance grows in two ways: from the money you and your employer add, and from investment returns compounding on the whole pot. Each month the calculator applies one month of growth to your current balance, then adds that month's contributions on top. Doing this month after month is what produces the steep curve near the end — the returns start earning returns of their own.
The breakdown on the result panel splits your final balance into four parts: your starting balance, the contributions you make, the money your employer adds, and the investment growth on all of it. That growth figure is the part compounding creates for you, and it usually becomes the largest slice over a long enough horizon.
What is a 401(k) employer match?
Many employers add money to your retirement account based on what you put in — a common formula is 50% of your contributions up to 6% of your salary. It is one of the few genuine free lunches in personal finance, so contributing at least enough to capture the full match is usually the first priority. Enter your employer's monthly contribution above and the calculator shows how large that match grows once it has decades to compound.
The 4% rule: turning savings into income
A nest egg is only useful as the income it produces. The 4% rule is a well-known guideline: in your first year of retirement you withdraw about 4% of your balance, then adjust that amount for inflation each year, with a reasonable chance the money lasts around 30 years. The income estimate on the result panel applies this rule to your projected balance. It is a planning guide rather than a guarantee — the right withdrawal rate depends on your investments, your other income and how long your retirement lasts.
How much should I save for retirement?
One widely cited target is to save around 15% of your gross income each year, including any employer match, from your mid-twenties. Another is to have roughly your annual salary saved by 30, three times by 40, and about ten times by retirement. These are rules of thumb, not rules — starting late, retiring early or wanting a richer retirement all push the number up. The most reliable lever is time, which is why starting even a small contribution early tends to beat a larger one started later.
Ways to grow your retirement savings faster
- Capture the full employer match first — it is an immediate return no investment can match.
- Raise your contribution by a percent or two each year, ideally alongside pay rises so you barely feel it.
- Start as early as you can; a dollar invested in your twenties compounds far longer than one invested in your forties.
- Keep investment fees low — a percentage point of fees can quietly cost years of retirement income over a career.
- Leave it invested through downturns rather than selling; the recovery is when much of the long-run return is earned.
Frequently asked questions
How much do I need to retire?
A common starting point is the 4% rule: multiply the annual income you want by 25 to estimate the nest egg needed. For $40,000 a year that is roughly $1 million. It is a rough guide, not a promise, because real returns, inflation and how long you live all vary.
What is a 401(k) match and how does it work?
Many employers add money based on what you contribute, up to a limit — for example 50% of your contributions up to 6% of salary. It is effectively free money, so contributing at least enough to capture the full match is usually the first move. Enter your employer's monthly contribution to include it here.
What return should I assume?
There is no guaranteed number. A diversified portfolio has historically returned roughly 6–7% a year after inflation over long periods, but any single decade can be far higher or lower. Try a conservative rate and an optimistic one to see the range rather than betting on one figure.
What is the 4% rule?
A rule of thumb suggesting you can withdraw about 4% of your balance in the first year, then adjust for inflation, with a reasonable chance the money lasts about 30 years. This calculator uses it to estimate a monthly income from your projected balance — a guideline, not a guarantee.
Are my numbers saved or sent anywhere?
No. Nothing you enter leaves your device. The math runs entirely in your browser, and the optional share link only stores the numbers you choose to share inside the link itself.
How accurate is this projection?
The compounding math is exact for the numbers you enter, but it assumes a steady return every year, which real markets never deliver, and it shows future dollars without adjusting for inflation. Treat it as a planning estimate to compare choices, not a prediction.