Retirement Calculator
See how savings, investing, and time work together — project your retirement balance and the gap to your target.
Inputs
Result
Visual breakdown
System view
See how this fits into your full financial system.
Zoom out and connect income, expenses, debt, savings, housing, transportation, and runway in one private system view.
Formula
Projected = current · (1 + r/12)^(12y) + monthly · (((1 + r/12)^(12y) − 1) ÷ (r/12)). Gap = target − projected. Assumes constant contributions and returns.
How to use
- Use today's-dollar contributions and a real (after-inflation) return for an honest projection.
- Try a target both with and without future inflation to feel the difference.
- Adjust monthly contribution to close the gap.
When it's useful
- Setting a retirement savings target.
- Stress-testing a contribution rate.
- Quantifying how much late starts cost.
Common examples
Frequently asked
How is this different from the FIRE calculator?
FIRE solves for an early-retirement target using a withdrawal rate. This one projects what your balance will be at a chosen age and compares to a target you set.
Should I include employer match?
Yes — add it to the monthly contribution. The 401(k) calculator does this for you.
Are taxes included?
No. Treat the output as a pre-tax projection. Tax-deferred and Roth balances behave differently in retirement.
Why does my number change a lot with small return tweaks?
Compounding over decades amplifies small rate differences — that's normal and a good reason to use conservative assumptions.
People also calculate
More money & work →Educational estimate only — not financial advice.