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.

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

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?

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.

Related calculators

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.