Retirement Calculator
Enter your age, savings, and monthly contribution to see what your retirement balance could become, shown both in future dollars and in today’s purchasing power.
Want to understand the concept, not just the number? Read The Retirement Planning Guide and more below.
| Year | Start | Contributions | Growth | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $50,000 | $12,000 | $4,007 | $66,007 |
| 2 | $66,007 | $12,000 | $5,164 | $83,171 |
| 3 | $83,171 | $12,000 | $6,405 | $101,576 |
| 4 | $101,576 | $12,000 | $7,736 | $121,312 |
| 5 | $121,312 | $12,000 | $9,162 | $142,474 |
| 6 | $142,474 | $12,000 | $10,692 | $165,166 |
| 7 | $165,166 | $12,000 | $12,332 | $189,499 |
| 8 | $189,499 | $12,000 | $14,091 | $215,590 |
| 9 | $215,590 | $12,000 | $15,978 | $243,568 |
| 10 | $243,568 | $12,000 | $18,000 | $273,568 |
| 11 | $273,568 | $12,000 | $20,169 | $305,737 |
| 12 | $305,737 | $12,000 | $22,494 | $340,231 |
| 13 | $340,231 | $12,000 | $24,988 | $377,219 |
| 14 | $377,219 | $12,000 | $27,662 | $416,881 |
| 15 | $416,881 | $12,000 | $30,529 | $459,410 |
| 16 | $459,410 | $12,000 | $33,603 | $505,013 |
| 17 | $505,013 | $12,000 | $36,900 | $553,913 |
| 18 | $553,913 | $12,000 | $40,435 | $606,348 |
| 19 | $606,348 | $12,000 | $44,226 | $662,574 |
| 20 | $662,574 | $12,000 | $48,290 | $722,864 |
| 21 | $722,864 | $12,000 | $52,648 | $787,512 |
| 22 | $787,512 | $12,000 | $57,322 | $856,834 |
| 23 | $856,834 | $12,000 | $62,333 | $931,167 |
| 24 | $931,167 | $12,000 | $67,707 | $1,010,874 |
| 25 | $1,010,874 | $12,000 | $73,469 | $1,096,343 |
| 26 | $1,096,343 | $12,000 | $79,647 | $1,187,990 |
| 27 | $1,187,990 | $12,000 | $86,272 | $1,286,262 |
| 28 | $1,286,262 | $12,000 | $93,377 | $1,391,639 |
| 29 | $1,391,639 | $12,000 | $100,994 | $1,504,633 |
| 30 | $1,504,633 | $12,000 | $109,163 | $1,625,796 |
Range of outcomes
The projection above uses a single steady return, so it draws one smooth line. Real markets rise and fall from year to year, and the order of those swings changes where you end up. This simulation runs 500 separate paths, giving each year a random return centered on your expected rate, then sorts the results from worst to best.
The three figures below are the outcomes at the 10th, 50th, and 90th percentiles. The median is the middle result, with half of the paths above it and half below. It usually lands under the smooth projection, because market swings drag on compound growth. Past performance never guarantees future returns, so treat this as a range to plan around rather than a promise.
Simulating a range of outcomes...
How it's calculated
Each month your balance earns one twelfth of the annual return, and then your contribution is added on top. That growth compounds on an ever larger balance, so the curve gets steeper the longer you stay invested. In a lifetime portfolio, most of the final balance ends up being growth rather than the money you put in.
Here is a simple example. Leave $10,000 alone at a 7% annual return with monthly compounding and it grows to $20,096.61 after 10 years, roughly doubling without a single new dollar added. Regular monthly contributions push this much higher, because each one gets its own runway to compound. The dollars you invest in your twenties do far more work than the ones you invest in your fifties.
The today’s-dollars figure divides your projected balance by inflation compounded over the same period. It answers a different question. Not how large the number looks decades from now, but how much it could actually buy in money you understand today.
Assumptions
- Returns compound monthly and contributions are made at the end of each month. — Platform methodology
- The today’s-dollars figure discounts the final balance by the inflation rate you set.
Last updated: 2026-08-07
These assumptions follow our general methodology.
Frequently asked questions
Why monthly compounding instead of annual?
Most retirement accounts credit growth more often than once a year, so monthly compounding is a closer match to reality than a single annual step. It is stated as an assumption on every page.
What return should I use?
A diversified, stock-heavy portfolio has historically averaged roughly 7% a year after inflation over long periods, but past performance does not predict the future. Enter a range, like 5%, 7%, and 9%, to see how sensitive your result is to the assumption.
How much do I need to retire?
A common starting point is 25 times your expected annual spending, which lines up with a 4% withdrawal rate. Use the FIRE Number calculator to turn your target spending into a portfolio goal, then aim this calculator at that balance.
Does this include Social Security or a pension?
No. This projects only the savings you contribute and their growth. Social Security or a pension would reduce how much your own portfolio needs to cover, so treat this figure as your self-funded amount.
How much should I be saving each month?
That depends on your target, timeline, and starting balance. The Savings Goal calculator works backward from a goal and solves for the exact monthly contribution needed to reach it.
How does the Monte Carlo simulation work?
The main projection uses one steady return every year, which draws a smooth line. The Monte Carlo panel instead runs hundreds of paths where each year gets a random return around your expected rate, then shows the 10th, 50th, and 90th percentile balances. It is a quick way to see how much your result depends on the order of good and bad years, something a single average hides.
Why is the median outcome lower than the smooth projection?
Because market swings drag down compound growth. A year of minus 20 percent followed by plus 20 percent leaves you below where you started, even though the two average to zero. So the typical simulated path lands under the straight-line number. That gap is real, and planning to the median rather than the average is the more cautious choice.