Retirement Calculator

Project how much you will have saved by retirement based on your current savings, monthly contributions, and expected investment returns. See the power of compound growth over decades of saving.

Examples

Starting at 30 — Moderate Saver

A 30-year-old with $50,000 saved, contributing $500/month at 7% return until age 65.

Current Age: 30 years
Retirement Age: 65 years
Current Savings: $50,000
Monthly Contribution: $500
Expected Annual Return: 7 %

Total at Retirement

$1,475,834.89

Total Contributed

$260,000.00

Total Interest Earned

$1,215,834.89

Years to Retirement

35 years

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How It Works

Formula

\text{FV} = \text{PV} \times \left(1 + \frac{r}{12}\right)^{n} + \text{PMT} \times \frac{\left(1 + \frac{r}{12}\right)^{n} - 1}{r / 12}

Variables, symbols and units

$\text{FV}$: Future value of your savings at retirement
$\text{PV}$: Current savings balance
$\text{PMT}$: Monthly contribution
$r$: Expected annual return rate (decimal)
$n$: Number of months until retirement — years × 12

Calculation method explained

Enter your current age, target retirement age, current savings balance, monthly contribution, and expected annual return. The calculator compounds your existing savings and adds the future value of your monthly contributions to project your total retirement balance.

References and source material

Examples

Starting at 30 — Moderate Saver30 years · 65 years → $1,475,834.89

A 30-year-old with $50,000 saved, contributing $500/month at 7% return until age 65.

Current Age: 30 years
Retirement Age: 65 years
Current Savings: $50,000
Monthly Contribution: $500
Expected Annual Return: 7 %

Total at Retirement: $1,475,834.89

Late Start at 4545 years · 65 years → $601,701.44

Starting retirement savings at 45 with $20,000, contributing $1,000/month at 7%.

Current Age: 45 years
Retirement Age: 65 years
Current Savings: $20,000
Monthly Contribution: $1,000
Expected Annual Return: 7 %

Total at Retirement: $601,701.44

Aggressive Saver — Early Retirement25 years · 55 years → $2,344,896.47

A 25-year-old aiming to retire at 55 with $10,000 saved and $1,500/month at 8%.

Current Age: 25 years
Retirement Age: 55 years
Current Savings: $10,000
Monthly Contribution: $1,500
Expected Annual Return: 8 %

Total at Retirement: $2,344,896.47

Frequently Asked Questions

How does compound growth help my retirement savings?

Compound growth means your returns earn their own returns. Over decades, this snowball effect dominates: even modest monthly contributions can grow into a substantial nest egg because each year's gains are reinvested and compound on top of previous gains.

What annual return should I assume?

This calculator uses the annual return you enter. If you want a more conservative projection, lower that assumption or compare several scenarios.

Does this calculator account for inflation?

No — the result is nominal and does not adjust for inflation.

Is starting early really that important?

Yes. A 25-year-old investing $300/month at 7% will have more at 65 than a 35-year-old investing $600/month at the same rate. The extra decade of compounding is extraordinarily powerful — it effectively doubles the impact of each dollar saved.

Does this include employer contributions or tax benefits?

No — enter the total monthly amount you want this projection to treat as contributions. Taxes, employer matches, and account-specific rules are not modeled.

Retirement Calculator

Starting at 30 — Moderate Saver

How It Works

Examples

Frequently Asked Questions

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