Retirement Savings Calculator

Project retirement fund growth with monthly contributions, employer match, and compound interest chart.

Retirement Savings Calculator tool

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Example

Input: Age 30 to 65, $50,000 saved, $500/month, 50% match up to 6% of a $60,000 salary, 7% return, 3% inflation

Result: Projected Balance at Retirement $1,745,993.08 ($620,496.95 inflation-adjusted), Employer Match Total $63,000.00

The match is 50% of contributions up to 6% of salary ($300/month), so $150/month; $50,000 plus $650/month compounded monthly at 7% for 35 years grows to $1,745,993.08.

Why Starting Age Matters: $500 a Month to Age 65

Start AgeYears SavingYou Put InBalance at 65
2540$240,000$1,312,407
3035$210,000$900,527
3530$180,000$609,985
4025$150,000$405,036
4520$120,000$260,463
5015$90,000$158,481
5510$60,000$86,542

No starting balance, no employer match, 7% yearly return compounded monthly, before inflation.

  1. Enter your current age and the age you plan to retire.
  2. Enter your current retirement savings and how much you add each month.
  3. Add your employer match, your annual salary and the match limit as a percentage of salary (0 means no limit).
  4. Set the expected annual return and inflation rate.
  5. Review the projected balance, its inflation-adjusted value, the 4% rule income and the growth chart.
  6. Change your contribution or retirement age to compare scenarios.

Projecting Your Retirement Savings Growth

This retirement calculator projects how big your savings could be when you retire. For example, a 30-year-old with $50,000 saved could reach about $1.75 million by 65. That assumes $500 a month, a 50% employer match up to 6% of a $60,000 salary, and a 7% yearly return. In today's money, after 3% inflation, that is about $620,500.

Enter your current age, retirement age, savings, monthly contribution and expected return. Add your employer match as a percentage of your contribution, plus your salary and the match limit as a share of salary. Set the limit to 0 if there is none. The tool then shows six figures: the projected balance, its value in today's dollars, your own total contributions, the total employer match, the interest earned, and a monthly income using the 4% rule. A chart plots the balance at each age.

Starting early matters more than anything else you control. The table below shows $500 a month at 7% until 65. Start at 25 and you reach about $1.31 million. Wait until 35 and it drops to about $610,000, even though you only saved $60,000 less. The first decade of growth does the heavy lifting.

The 4% rule is a rough guide for how much you might withdraw in the first year of retirement without running out too soon. It is not a guarantee. Real returns vary year to year, and fees and taxes reduce them. This tool also uses a fixed contribution with no raises.

Treat the result as a starting point for planning. Contribution limits for 401(k) plans and IRAs are set by the IRS and change over time. A financial adviser can help turn a projection into a plan. To see how inflation erodes money, try the Inflation Calculator.

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

There is no single right number. It depends on when you want to retire, the lifestyle you expect, and income from other sources such as Social Security or a pension. Many people aim to save a steady share of every paycheck. Use this tool to test different amounts, and speak to a financial adviser for a personal plan.
Your employer adds money based on what you contribute. A 50% match up to 6% of salary means they add 50 cents per dollar, but only on contributions up to 6% of your pay. On a $60,000 salary that is up to $300 a month, so the match is up to $150 a month.
The tool defaults to 7% a year, but no rate is guaranteed. Stocks have historically returned more than bonds over long periods, with bigger swings along the way. Try a lower and a higher rate to see a range of outcomes rather than relying on one number.
It shows the projected balance in today's dollars. A balance of $1.75 million in 35 years will buy much less than $1.75 million today. At 3% inflation, it would buy about as much as $620,500 does now. Use this figure to judge whether your plan meets your needs.
The 4% rule suggests withdrawing about 4% of your savings in the first year of retirement, then adjusting for inflation. This tool shows 4% of your projected balance divided by 12 as a monthly income. It is a rule of thumb from past market data, not a promise, and it may not fit every situation.

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