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Plan • Project • Retire with Confidence
Enter your details to see your projected balance, retirement gap, FIRE age, and personalized savings insights.
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FIRE Age
Discover the earliest age you could achieve financial independence at your current rate
What-If Scenarios
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Are you on track for your target retirement age?
FIRE Analysis
Calculate your Financial Independence number
Savings Rate Impact
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Projection Chart
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Disclaimer: Results are estimates for educational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Consult a licensed financial advisor before making investment, mortgage, or major financial decisions.
Retirement projections use the future value of an annuity formula — the same math underlying every financial planner's spreadsheet. It compounds your current savings and regular contributions at your expected investment return to show what your portfolio will be worth at retirement. The output is compared against your target (expenses × 25 for the 4% rule) to tell you whether you are on track.
Retirement Projection Formula
FV = PV × (1 + r)ⁿ + C × [(1 + r)ⁿ – 1] / r
FV = projected portfolio at retirement
PV = current savings balance
C = annual contribution
r = annual return rate (decimal)
n = years until retirement
By 30
1× salary saved
By 40
3× salary saved
By 50
6× salary saved
By 67
10× salary saved
Age: 35 | Current savings: $75,000 | Monthly contribution: $1,000 | Return: 7% | Retire at: 65
FV = 75,000 × (1.07)³⁰ + 12,000 × [(1.07)³⁰ – 1] / 0.07 = $571,499 + $1,135,935 = $1,707,434. At a 4% withdrawal rate, this portfolio supports $68,297/year in retirement — well above a $60,000/year target.
The most widely used rule is the 4% rule (or 25x rule): multiply your expected annual retirement expenses by 25 to get your target portfolio size. If you plan to spend $60,000/year in retirement, you need $1,500,000. This rule is based on historical data showing a diversified portfolio can sustain 4% annual withdrawals for at least 30 years with very high probability. For longer retirements (40+ years), many planners recommend a 3.5% or 3% withdrawal rate, implying 28–33x expenses.
Fidelity's common benchmarks: 1x your salary saved by age 30, 3x by 40, 6x by 50, 8x by 60, 10x by 67. These assume retiring at 67 and spending 55–80% of pre-retirement income. If you start late, higher savings rates can compensate: saving 20–25% of income instead of the typical 10–15% can largely close a 10-year head start gap, thanks to higher contributions and growing market returns.
The 4% rule, derived from the "Trinity Study" (1998), states that a retiree can withdraw 4% of their portfolio in year one, then adjust for inflation each year, and historically have a 95%+ success rate over a 30-year retirement. The rule assumes a portfolio of 50–75% stocks and 25–50% bonds. Criticism: it was calibrated on US historical returns (unusually high globally) and may be too aggressive for retirements lasting 40+ years or in lower-return future environments.
Both are powerful; the best choice depends on your tax situation. Traditional 401(k)/IRA: contributions reduce taxable income now; withdrawals are taxed in retirement. Best if you expect to be in a lower tax bracket in retirement. Roth IRA/401(k): contributions are after-tax; all qualified withdrawals are tax-free. Best if you expect higher taxes later or want tax-free income in retirement. Rule of thumb: If you're in the 22% bracket or below, favor Roth. If you're in 32%+, favor traditional. Many advisors recommend having both for tax flexibility.
Financial planners typically target 70–80% of pre-retirement income to maintain the same lifestyle (lower because work-related costs, mortgage payments, and savings contributions cease). For a household earning $100,000/year pre-retirement, targeting $70,000–$80,000/year in retirement income is standard. Sources typically include Social Security (average benefit ~$1,900/month in 2024), portfolio withdrawals, pensions, and rental income.
You can access 401(k) funds penalty-free starting at age 59½. Withdrawals before this age incur a 10% early withdrawal penalty plus ordinary income tax, unless exceptions apply (disability, substantially equal periodic payments, certain medical expenses). The IRS requires Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) starting at age 73 (as of 2023 law changes under SECURE 2.0). Roth IRAs have no RMD requirements during the owner's lifetime.
Social Security is a guaranteed inflation-adjusted income stream that reduces how much your portfolio needs to fund. The average monthly benefit in 2024 is approximately $1,907. Delaying Social Security from age 62 to 70 increases your monthly benefit by roughly 77% — from ~$1,300 to ~$2,300 for an average earner. If you have other income sources to bridge the gap, delaying is almost always financially optimal and significantly reduces the portfolio withdrawal rate needed.
FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) uses the 4% rule to calculate the portfolio needed to retire on investment income alone. Your FIRE number = annual expenses × 25. Your savings rate determines how fast you reach it: at a 50% savings rate, you reach FIRE in approximately 17 years regardless of income. At 70%, roughly 8.5 years. At 80%, about 5.5 years. The math is income-independent because high savings rates both build wealth faster and demonstrate you can live on less, requiring a smaller FIRE number.
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