Retirement Calculator
Estimate how much you'll have saved by retirement based on your current savings, monthly contributions, expected return rate, and target retirement age.
Part of our Finance Calculators collection.
Retirement Calculator
Free online calculator
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Total already saved
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Historical S&P 500 avg is ~7% after inflation
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How to Use This Calculator
- 1
Enter your current age and target retirement age.
- 2
Input your current retirement savings balance.
- 3
Enter your planned monthly contribution.
- 4
Set your expected annual return (7% is a common long-term estimate).
- 5
View your projected balance in nominal and inflation-adjusted terms.
How Retirement Savings Are Projected
FV = PV × (1 + r)^n + PMT × [((1 + r)^n − 1) / r] PV = current savings, r = monthly return rate, n = months to retirement, PMT = monthly contribution. Inflation-adjusted value = FV / (1 + inflation)^years
Example Calculation
Example: 35-year-old, $50k saved, $500/month
Inputs
currentAge: 35retirementAge: 65currentSavings: 50000monthlyContribution: 500annualReturn: 7inflationRate: 2.5
Result
~$1,027,312 at retirement
Starting with $50,000 and contributing $500/month at 7% gives ~$1.03M by age 65 — about $563,000 in today's dollars.
Frequently Asked Questions
What return rate should I use?
The long-term S&P 500 average is ~10% nominal or ~7% after inflation. Many planners use 6–7% as a conservative estimate.
Does this account for Social Security?
No. This projects investment growth only. Add expected Social Security income separately.
How does inflation affect results?
The calculator shows both the nominal future value and inflation-adjusted purchasing power so you can see what your savings will actually buy.