FinCalcs

Retirement Calculators

9 free retirement tools

Two questions matter: how much you need, and how long it lasts.

Retirement planning splits into an accumulation problem and a decumulation problem, and they need different maths. These calculators cover both — projecting contributions and employer matches on the way in, and modelling withdrawal rates, required minimum distributions and portfolio longevity on the way out.

Retirement calculators
An employer match is the highest guaranteed return most people will ever be offered.

The employer match is the highest guaranteed return available

A typical match of 50% on the first 6% of salary is an immediate 50% return on that money, before any investment growth. No other part of a retirement plan offers anything close. Contributing at least enough to capture the full match is, for almost everyone, the first move — ahead of extra mortgage payments, and usually ahead of clearing low-rate debt.

Withdrawal rate decides how long the money lasts

The well-known 4% guideline came from historical US data and assumes a roughly 30-year horizon and a particular asset mix. It is a useful anchor, not a law. Retiring earlier, holding more cash, or facing poor returns in the first few years all change the answer materially — which is why modelling your own numbers beats applying a rule of thumb.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do I need to retire?+

A common starting point is 25 times your annual spending, which corresponds to a 4% withdrawal rate. Adjust for a longer retirement, other income such as Social Security or a pension, and how much variability you can tolerate.

Roth or traditional?+

Traditional deducts now and taxes withdrawals; Roth taxes now and is free later. The deciding factor is whether your tax rate in retirement will be higher or lower than today's — Roth generally favours those early in their careers, traditional favours peak earners.

What is an RMD?+

A required minimum distribution — the amount the IRS obliges you to withdraw each year from most tax-deferred accounts once you reach the qualifying age. Missing one carries a substantial penalty.

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