Personal finance · retirement
When can I retire?
Retirement is not a fixed age, it is the moment your savings can pay your bills without you. This finds that year on your numbers.
The question "when can I retire?" has a precise answer: when your portfolio is large enough that a safe withdrawal covers the income you want. Enter your savings, what you add each month, and your target retirement income, and this projects the age you cross that line.
After-inflation returns run lower, set this to taste.
The 4% rule is the common default.
Enter your savings and target.
Worked example
Someone at 40 with $200,000 saved, adding $2,000/month, wanting $60,000/year at a 6% return:
| Step | Value |
|---|---|
| Nest egg needed (4% of $60,000) | $1,500,000 |
| Years from now | 20 |
| Retirement age | 60 |
| Portfolio at retirement | $1,565,509 |
A $60,000 income needs a $1,500,000 nest egg under the 4% rule, reached in 20 years, at age 60 on these assumptions. Social Security, a pension, or part-time income would lower the target and pull that age earlier.
Questions
Does this include Social Security?
No, it projects savings only, which is the conservative view. Any Social Security or pension income reduces how much your portfolio has to cover, so your real retirement age is likely earlier than the pure savings number shown here.
What return should I assume?
A portfolio getting more conservative near retirement often assumes 5 to 6% rather than the 7% a stock-heavy portfolio might. Lower is safer for planning; the calculator lets you test both.
What if the number says "never"?
It means the contributions and return you entered do not reach the target within 70 years, usually a sign the target income is high relative to savings. Raising the monthly contribution is the fastest lever.
Related tools
- FIRE calculator the same math, framed by years
- Retirement withdrawal tax what withdrawals cost in tax
- Self-employed retirement SEP and solo 401(k) limits
Savings-only projection on a steady assumed return; excludes Social Security and pensions. An illustration, not a promise. Not financial advice.