How to Use the Retirement Calculator
- 1Enter your current age and target retirement age.
- 2Input your existing retirement savings and planned monthly contribution.
- 3Set an expected annual return (7% is a common historical average for a diversified portfolio).
- 4Click Calculate Retirement to see your projection.
How Much Should I Have Saved for Retirement?
Fidelity recommends the following savings benchmarks by age: 1ร salary by 30, 3ร by 40, 6ร by 50, 8ร by 60, and 10ร your salary by retirement at 67. These are general guidelines โ your actual needs depend on your expected lifestyle and expenses in retirement.
The 4% Rule Explained
The 4% rule is a widely used guideline suggesting you can withdraw 4% of your total retirement savings per year without running out of money over a 30-year retirement. If you need $60,000/year to live comfortably, you'd need a nest egg of $1.5 million ($60,000 รท 0.04).
Maximizing Retirement Savings
- 401(k): 2025 contribution limit is $23,500 ($31,000 if age 50+)
- IRA: Contribution limit is $7,000 ($8,000 if age 50+) for 2025
- Always get the employer match: It's free money โ at minimum, contribute enough to get the full match
- Roth vs. Traditional: Roth is generally better if you expect to be in a higher tax bracket in retirement