Retirement Savings Calculator

How retirement savings grow over time

A retirement savings plan depends on how early you start, how much you already have saved, how consistently you contribute, and how investment returns compound over time. This calculator projects annual balances from your current age to retirement age, then separates the final amount into contributions and investment growth. That split is important because long timelines can shift more of the ending balance from new deposits to compound growth.

Inflation matters because a future dollar may not buy the same amount as a dollar today. The result cards emphasize today-dollar values so you can compare the account balance and its purchasing power. The monthly income estimate uses your selected withdrawal rate, with 4% as a common planning default, not a guarantee.

For many savers, retirement money may come from a mix of 401(k) contributions, IRA savings, taxable brokerage investments, and Social Security. Each has different rules, tax treatment, contribution limits, and timing decisions. Use this estimate as a planning view, then compare it with your actual account rules and expected benefits.

Starting earlier can be powerful because contributions have more years to compound. Increasing the monthly contribution can also close a savings gap, especially when raises, bonuses, or reduced expenses make a higher savings rate realistic. Try changing one slider at a time so you can see whether age, contribution amount, investment return, or inflation has the biggest effect on the projection.

The milestone markers are meant to make the projection easier to scan. Seeing when the balance crosses $100k, $500k, or $1M can help you understand whether the plan is accelerating or falling behind. If the gap remains large, the usual levers are saving more, working longer, lowering expected spending, improving investment costs, or combining personal savings with other retirement income sources.