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Retirement calculator: project your savings at retirement
Enter your age, what you have saved, what you add each month and the return you expect. You get a projected balance, how much of it is growth and a rough yearly income at a 4% withdrawal rate.
The short answer: saving $25,000 today plus $500 a month for 35 years at a 7% yearly return grows to about $1,188,181, of which $235,000 is money you put in. Change the boxes to see your own number. It is an estimate: real returns vary every year.
Result by return rate
The same example at four different yearly returns (age 30 to 65, $25,000 saved, $500 a month, compounded monthly):
| Yearly return | Balance at 65 |
|---|---|
| 5% | $711,389 |
| 6% | $915,444 |
| 7% | $1,188,181 |
| 8% | $1,554,255 |
Why starting earlier matters
Same $25,000 and $500 a month at 7%, changing only how many years you save:
| Years saving | Balance |
|---|---|
| 25 years | $548,171 |
| 30 years | $812,898 |
| 35 years | $1,188,181 |
| 40 years | $1,720,192 |
Five more years, from 35 to 40, adds about $532,000, even though you only contribute $30,000 more. The extra years of growth on a large balance do most of the work.
How the retirement calculator works
Each month the balance grows by the yearly return divided by 12, then your monthly contribution is added. After n months: balance = balance × (1 + r/12) + contribution. The yearly income figure is 4% of the final balance, a common rule of thumb for a first-year withdrawal, not a guarantee. On $1,188,181 that is about $47,527 a year, or $3,961 a month, before taxes.
2026 contribution limits
According to the IRS, the 401(k) employee deferral limit is $24,500 in 2026, with an $8,000 catch-up for age 50 and older and a $11,250 catch-up for ages 60 to 63. $500 a month is $6,000 a year, well under the limit.
Find the money to save
The projection only works if the monthly amount is real. Our guide to how much of your paycheck to save helps you pick it, the compound interest calculator shows a lump sum growing, and how to save for retirement covers the account types.
Budget first, then invest
Make room for the monthly contribution
The Ultimate Budget Bundle gives you budget spreadsheets to find the money to save each month, plus trackers for sinking funds, bills and debt payoff.
Questions, answered
How does a retirement calculator work? A retirement calculator projects how much your savings could grow by the age you plan to stop working. This one compounds your balance monthly at the yearly return you enter and adds your monthly contribution at the end of each month. Results are before taxes, fees and inflation.
How much do I need to retire? There is no single number, because it depends on your spending, other income and how long you live. A common rule of thumb is to multiply your yearly spending by 25, which matches taking 4% of your balance in the first year. If you spend $40,000 a year, that rule points to about $1,000,000.
What is a realistic rate of return for retirement savings? Nobody can know future returns, so test a range instead of one number. This calculator shows 5%, 6%, 7% and 8% side by side. For the example of $25,000 plus $500 a month for 35 years, the balance ranges from about $711,389 at 5% to about $1,554,255 at 8%.
How much can I put into a 401(k) in 2026? The IRS employee elective deferral limit for a 401(k) is $24,500 in 2026. Workers 50 and older can add a $8,000 catch-up contribution, and the IRS lists a higher $11,250 catch-up for ages 60 to 63. Your plan may set lower limits, and employer matches are separate.
Does this retirement calculator include Social Security? No. It only projects the money you save and the growth you enter. Social Security and pensions would be added on top, so check your own statement at ssa.gov and subtract that income from your yearly spending when you estimate the savings target.
Does the calculator include inflation and taxes? No. Results are in future dollars before taxes and fees. To see roughly what the result is worth in today's dollars, enter a return that is lowered by the inflation you expect, such as 4% instead of 7% if you expect 3% inflation.
Is my information saved? No. The math runs in your browser and nothing is sent or stored.