How much should I save for retirement by age?

Common milestones: 1x your salary saved by 30, 3x by 40, 6x by 50, 8x by 60, and 10x by 67. They assume saving roughly 15% of income throughout your career.

What return should I assume for retirement planning?

Planners commonly model 6-7% nominal before retirement (diversified portfolio) and 5% or less afterward as portfolios get more conservative, with ~3% inflation. Using aggressive assumptions creates plans that only work in good markets.

Retirement Calculator

Q: How much money do I need to retire?

A widely used starting point is 25x your desired annual spending (the inverse of the 4% rule). Wanting $60,000 per year from savings implies a target of about $1.5 million — less whatever Social Security and pensions will cover.

Q: Does this include Social Security?

Yes — enter your expected monthly benefit and the calculator reduces the income your savings must generate. The average retired-worker benefit is around $2,000 per month; your statement at ssa.gov shows your projection.

Q: What if I'm behind on the savings milestones?

The most powerful levers in order of impact are increasing your contribution rate, delaying retirement by even a year or two, and adjusting your spending goal. Capturing a full employer 401(k) match should always come first.

Q: Should I plan for a lower return rate after I retire?

Many retirees shift to a more conservative portfolio for stability, which typically lowers the expected return compared to an all-stock accumulation-phase portfolio. Model the withdrawal-phase return separately for a more accurate plan.

Your retirement number, your projected savings, and the gap between them — with inflation handled honestly.

Written by the Calculator Index team · Guideline: 4% withdrawal rule (25× rule) · Last reviewed August 2026

Verdict

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Projected savings at 67

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Target (25× rule, inflated)

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Surplus / shortfall

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Monthly needed to close gap

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How your number is calculated

The calculator inflates your desired spending to retirement-year dollars, subtracts what Social Security covers, and multiplies the rest by 25 — the inverse of the 4% safe-withdrawal guideline:

Income needed from savings = Inflated spending − Social Security
Target = Income needed × 25

Worked example

Age 35 → 67, $60,000 saved, $800/mo contributions, want $60,000/yr (today's dollars), $2,000/mo Social Security:

At 3% inflation, $60,000 becomes ≈ $154,000/yr at 67. Social Security (inflation-adjusted) covers ≈ $62,000, leaving $92,000/yr × 25 = ≈ $2.3M target.

Projected savings at 6.5%: ≈ $1.4M — a shortfall, fixable by raising contributions ~$700/mo, retiring later, or trimming the spending goal.

Savings milestones by age

Age	Savings target (× salary)
30	1×
40	3×
50	6×
60	8×
67	10×

Behind on the milestones? The levers, in order of power: contribution rate (each +1% of salary compounds enormously — see the 401(k) calculator and grab every match dollar), retirement age (each year later adds savings, growth, and higher Social Security simultaneously), and spending flexibility. Model the withdrawal side with the withdrawal calculator, and read our full guide: How much should you save for retirement?

Common mistakes when planning retirement savings

Using today's spending without inflating it. $60,000/year today is not $60,000/year in 30 years — this calculator inflates your goal automatically, but a plan built on today's-dollar numbers without that adjustment badly understates the real target.
Assuming Social Security will be there unchanged. Check your actual estimate at ssa.gov rather than guessing — benefits are based on your specific earnings history and claiming age, and can vary by thousands of dollars a year from a rough guess.
Overestimating pre-retirement returns. Modeling 10%+ returns for decades produces an unrealistically easy-looking plan. Use the historically grounded 6–7% range and treat a plan that only works at 10% as fragile.
Ignoring healthcare costs in retirement. Medical expenses often rise faster than general inflation and are a major, frequently underestimated line item — build in a cushion beyond your baseline spending goal.

Frequently asked questions

How much money do I need to retire?

Start with 25× annual spending from savings (the 4% rule inverted): $60,000/yr → ~$1.5M, minus what Social Security covers.

How much should I save by age?

1× salary by 30, 3× by 40, 6× by 50, 8× by 60, 10× by 67 — assuming ~15% savings rates.

What return should I assume?

6–7% nominal pre-retirement, less after; ~3% inflation. Conservative assumptions make robust plans.

Does this include Social Security?

Yes — your entered benefit reduces the income savings must produce. Check yours at ssa.gov.

What if I'm behind on the savings milestones?

The most powerful levers, in order: increase your contribution rate (capture any employer match first), delay retirement by even a year or two (which adds savings, growth, and a higher Social Security benefit simultaneously), and adjust your spending goal.

Should I plan for a lower return rate after I retire?

Many retirees shift toward a more conservative portfolio for stability, which typically lowers the expected return compared to an all-stock accumulation-phase portfolio — model your withdrawal-phase return separately with the retirement withdrawal calculator.

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Note: Long-range projections are highly sensitive to assumptions; actual returns, inflation, and benefits will differ. Educational only — not financial advice. Last reviewed: July 2026.