Retirement Calculator

Project your retirement nest egg, see if you're on track, and calculate how much to save monthly to reach your goal.

Your Retirement Plan

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How to Use the Retirement Calculator

  1. 1Enter your current age and target retirement age.
  2. 2Input your existing retirement savings and planned monthly contribution.
  3. 3Set an expected annual return (7% is a common historical average for a diversified portfolio).
  4. 4Click Calculate Retirement to see your projection.

How Much Should I Have Saved for Retirement?

Fidelity recommends the following savings benchmarks by age: 1× salary by 30, 3× by 40, 6× by 50, 8× by 60, and 10× your salary by retirement at 67. These are general guidelines — 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 ÷ 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 — 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

Frequently Asked Questions

A common recommendation is to save 15% of your pre-tax income for retirement, including any employer match. If you're starting late (over 40), aim for 20–25%. Our calculator lets you test different contribution amounts to see the impact.
The S&P 500 has historically returned about 10% annually before inflation, or about 7% after inflation. For conservative planning, many financial advisors suggest using 6–7% for a diversified portfolio. The more conservative your estimate, the safer your projection.
Starting late means you need to save more aggressively. Maximize contributions (including catch-up contributions if 50+), consider delaying retirement by a few years, and reduce planned retirement expenses. Even starting at 45 or 50 can result in a meaningful nest egg with disciplined saving.