Retirement Calculator
Project your retirement nest egg based on current savings, monthly contributions, expected return, and retirement age. Estimates sustainable monthly income using a safe withdrawal rate you choose (4% by default).
Inputs
About Retirement Calculator
The 4% rule
Based on the Trinity Study: withdrawing 4% of your portfolio in year 1, then adjusting for inflation each year, has historically lasted 30+ years across all rolling US market periods. Newer research suggests 3.5-4% for safer planning, especially for early retirement — so the withdrawal rate is an input here. Change "Withdrawal rate (%)" and the sustainable income figures update with it; 4% is only the default.
Inflation matters
A $2M nest egg in 35 years isn’t $2M in today’s money. At 3% inflation, $2M then ≈ $710k today. The "real value" figure shows purchasing power in today’s dollars, and the dashed "Balance in today’s dollars" line on the balance chart shows that same deflated view year by year.
Tax-deferred vs taxable
Traditional 401(k)/IRA balances are pre-tax — withdrawals are taxed as income. Roth balances are after-tax — withdrawals are tax-free. The safe-withdrawal rate applies to gross balances; net spendable income from traditional accounts will be lower after taxes.