Am I on track for retirement?
With just six numbers, we can give you a sense of whether you're tracking toward your retirement goals, or if you're significantly ahead, or significantly behind. Adjusting the variables below will also give you a sense of how you might achieve your goals.
Move the sliders. See where you stand.
About the math
This calculator uses two well-worn rules. First, the 4% rule: you can safely withdraw 4% of your nest egg per year, adjusted for inflation, without running out over a 25-to-30-year retirement. That's why the target nest egg is 25× your desired annual spending.
Second, standard compound growth: your existing savings grow at the assumed annual return, and new contributions compound on top of them. The 7% default reflects a long-term, diversified equity portfolio. Drag that slider lower if you want to see how your plan holds up under more conservative assumptions.
This is back-of-the-envelope math. It ignores taxes, Social Security, the kids' college, the inevitable messy middle. That's fine. It's not a plan. It's the frame that tells you whether you're in the ballpark — or nowhere close.
What the number actually means
If you're short, it's not the math that's wrong. It's some combination of your timeline, your target, your return assumption, and how much you're saving. Three of those are a lot easier to change than the fourth.
If you're overfunding comfortably, be careful what you're assuming. A 9% return over thirty years is not a plan — it's a hope. The whole point of this tool is to stress-test the hope.
If you can't do this yourself, call me.