📈 Retirement Calculator
Enter your age, savings, monthly contribution, and an assumed return to project your nest egg at retirement — and see how much of it comes from compounding rather than your own deposits.
🪙 Your Nest Egg, Projected
What is a Retirement Calculator?
A retirement calculator shows where a savings habit could take you. By compounding what you already have and what you add each month at an assumed annual return, it projects the balance you might reach by the age you plan to stop working — and splits that figure into the money you contributed and the growth that compounding earned on top.
Use it to test how starting earlier, saving a little more, or assuming a different return reshapes the outcome. The results are general informational estimates, not professional tax, accounting, or financial advice — consult a CPA or financial advisor before making retirement decisions.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How does the retirement calculator work?
It compounds two things to your retirement age: your existing savings, which grow at the assumed monthly return, and your stream of monthly contributions, which are grown with the future-value-of-an-annuity formula. Adding them gives the projected balance. It then subtracts everything you actually put in — current savings plus all contributions — to show how much of the balance is investment growth rather than your own deposits.
What rate of return should I assume?
There's no single right answer — it depends on your asset mix and time horizon. Many long-term planners model a diversified portfolio with a real (after-inflation) return in the mid-single digits, while a higher nominal figure is sometimes used. Returns aren't guaranteed and vary year to year, so it's wise to run a conservative and an optimistic scenario rather than relying on one number.
How much should I be saving for retirement?
A common rule of thumb is to put aside roughly 10–15% of income, including any employer match, but the right amount depends on your target lifestyle, when you start, and when you plan to retire. The earlier you begin, the more compounding does the heavy lifting — which is exactly what this tool helps you visualize.
Will my actual retirement balance match this?
Treat it as a planning projection, not a promise. It ignores inflation, taxes, fees, contribution-limit changes, and market volatility, and assumes a steady return. These are general informational estimates, not professional tax, accounting, or financial advice — consult a CPA or financial advisor for a plan tailored to you.