Retirement Savings Calculator
Estimate how much your savings could grow by the time you retire, with regular monthly contributions and compound growth.
yrs
yrs
%
- 1
Monthly rate
6% ÷ 12 ÷ 100 = 0.005 - 2
Months to retirement
35 × 12 = 420 - 3
Growth factor
(1 + 0.005)ⁿ = 8.1236How one unit of money multiplies over the entire term at the monthly rate. - 4
Lump-sum growth
25,000 × 8.1236 = 203,088.79 - 5
Contributions future value
500 × (8.1236 − 1) ÷ 0.005 = 712,355.15 - 6
Balance at retirement
203,088.79 + 712,355.15 = 915,443.94
Formula
How this is calculated
You enter five values: your current age, your planned retirement age, the savings you already hold, the amount you add each month, and the expected annual return as a percentage. The years left to grow are the retirement age minus the current age, and that span is converted to n monthly periods (years × 12). The annual return is divided by 12 and by 100 to give a monthly rate r, so growth compounds every month rather than once a year.
The balance combines two parts. Your existing savings grow as a lump sum: current × (1 + r)ⁿ. Your monthly deposits are treated as an annuity and grow with the future-value formula monthly × ((1 + r)ⁿ − 1) ÷ r. If the return is exactly 0%, the formula falls back to simple addition (current + monthly × n) to avoid dividing by zero.
Total contributions are the raw money you put in (current + monthly × n); investment growth is the balance minus those contributions. Results are nominal and pre-tax, ignoring inflation, fees, taxes, and any change in contribution amount, and the retirement age must exceed the current age.
Examples
| Input | Result |
|---|---|
| Age 30 to 65, $25,000 saved, $500/mo at 6% | Balance ≈ $902,000 at retirement |
About this calculator
This calculator projects your retirement balance by compounding your existing savings and adding regular monthly contributions, all growing at an expected annual return. The first term grows your current lump sum, while the second term grows the stream of future contributions as a monthly annuity, with interest compounded monthly.
The results separate the money you contribute from the growth generated by compounding, showing the power of investing early and consistently. Because returns and inflation are uncertain, treat the figure as an estimate; use a conservative return assumption and revisit your plan regularly. The balance is a nominal pre-tax figure.
Frequently asked questions
A long-term diversified portfolio has historically returned roughly 5-8% before inflation, but past performance is no guarantee. Using a conservative rate gives a safer estimate.
No. The projected balance is in nominal terms. To gauge real purchasing power at retirement, compare it with an inflation calculator over the same period.
Compounding means your returns earn further returns. Over decades, growth can far exceed the total you contributed, which is why starting early matters so much.
Also known as
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. (2026). Retirement Savings Calculator [Online calculator]. TG we-Calculate. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/retirement-calculator
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. "Retirement Savings Calculator." TG we-Calculate. 2026. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/retirement-calculator.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team, "Retirement Savings Calculator," TG we-Calculate, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://we-calculate.com/calculator/retirement-calculator
@misc{wecalculate_retirement_calculator, title = {Retirement Savings Calculator}, author = {{TG we-Calculate Editorial Team}}, howpublished = {\url{https://we-calculate.com/calculator/retirement-calculator}}, year = {2026}, note = {TG we-Calculate} }
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