Free Retirement Calculator

Enter your current savings, monthly contributions, expected return and years to retirement to see your projected nest egg and how long it could last.

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Retirement Calculator

Mr B says: Most people underestimate how long they'll live and overestimate their investment returns. Build in a buffer on both — assume a longer retirement and a more modest return.

Current retirement savings

Monthly contribution

Expected annual return (%)

Years until retirement

Expected monthly spending in retirement

Retirement projection

Projected nest egg at retirement—

Monthly income this could provide (4% rule)—

Years this could last—

⚠️ This tool is for general guidance only and is not financial advice. Returns are not guaranteed. Speak to a financial adviser about your retirement plan.

Why small monthly changes matter so much over decades

Retirement projections are one of the clearest demonstrations of compounding, because the time horizon is so long. An extra $100 a month contributed from age 30 has decades to compound before retirement, while the same $100 a month started at age 50 has far less time to grow. This calculator lets you test both the size of your monthly contribution and your starting age separately, so you can see which lever moves the projected result the most in your own situation.

What "how long it could last" actually depends on

A projected nest egg isn't a number that simply gets spent down evenly. How long it lasts in retirement depends on your withdrawal rate, ongoing investment returns during retirement, and inflation eating into purchasing power over what could be a 25-30 year retirement. A commonly referenced starting point is withdrawing around 4% of the balance in the first year and adjusting for inflation after that, though the right rate depends heavily on individual circumstances and market conditions.

Why this needs revisiting, not calculating once

A retirement projection made at 30 will be wrong by 60 — incomes change, contribution rates change, market returns vary, and life circumstances shift. Treat this calculator as a planning tool to revisit every year or two, not a one-off answer. The point isn't to get a precise prediction decades out; it's to see whether your current contribution rate is roughly on track or needs adjusting now, while there's still time for changes to compound.

Common questions

Retirement planning questions

How much do I need to retire?

A common rule of thumb is 25 times your expected annual spending in retirement — this is derived from the 4% rule, which suggests withdrawing 4% of your nest egg annually. For $50,000 per year spending, you would need $1.25 million. This is a starting point, not a precise target, and does not account for pension or government benefits.

What is the 4% rule?

The 4% rule states that you can withdraw 4% of your retirement savings in the first year and adjust for inflation each year thereafter, with a historically high probability that the money will last 30 years. It was derived from the Trinity Study using US market data. It is a guideline, not a guarantee.

What return should I assume for retirement planning?

Financial planners often use 5–7% per year for a diversified equity portfolio, net of fees, over a long time horizon. For conservative planning, use a lower number — 4–5% — to avoid overestimating your future nest egg. Actual returns will vary significantly year to year.

Should I prioritise retirement savings or paying off a mortgage?

Both are valuable, but high-interest debt (credit cards, personal loans) should be paid off first. For a mortgage at relatively low interest rates, the choice between extra repayments and retirement contributions depends on your interest rate, tax situation, and available employer matching. A financial adviser can model your specific numbers.