How does the retirement calculator work?

The calculator projects your retirement portfolio year-by-year based on your current balance, contributions, expected returns, distributions, and social security benefits. It shows when your money might run out and provides a detailed assessment of your retirement readiness.

Can I export my retirement plan?

Yes! You can export your complete retirement projection to Excel or PDF format for detailed analysis and sharing with financial advisors.

Does it include Social Security?

Yes, the calculator integrates Social Security benefits into your retirement income projections, adjusting for your specified start age and applying cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) based on inflation.

What is Monte Carlo simulation for retirement planning?

Monte Carlo simulation runs thousands of retirement scenarios with randomized market returns to calculate the probability of your retirement plan's success. Instead of assuming constant returns, it accounts for market volatility to give you a more realistic success rate.

How does this compare to Vanguard's retirement calculator?

While Vanguard offers excellent retirement planning tools, our calculator is completely free, requires no account login, and offers advanced features like Monte Carlo simulation with up to 50,000 scenarios, dynamic spending models, and detailed year-by-year projections without any sales pressure.

How does this compare to Fidelity's retirement planner?

Our calculator provides similar functionality to Fidelity's retirement planner but is independent, free, and privacy-focused. All calculations run in your browser with no data collection. We offer Monte Carlo simulation, social security integration, and Excel/PDF export without requiring a Fidelity account.

Can I use this for 401k planning?

Absolutely! The calculator is perfect for 401k planning. Enter your current 401k balance, your annual contributions (including employer match), expected returns, and retirement timeline to see detailed projections of your 401k growth and distribution strategy.

Does this calculator work for IRA and Roth IRA accounts?

Yes, the calculator works for traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, and any combination of retirement accounts. Simply enter your total retirement balance across all accounts and plan your contributions and distributions accordingly.

Is this retirement calculator really free?

Yes, 100% free with no hidden fees, no account required, and no credit card needed. All calculations run locally in your browser, and we don't collect or sell your financial data. Use all features including Monte Carlo simulation, Excel export, and PDF reports at no cost.

How accurate is the retirement calculator?

The calculator uses professional-grade algorithms and historical S&P 500 data. Monte Carlo simulation provides probability-based projections accounting for market volatility. While no calculator can predict the future with certainty, our tool provides realistic estimates based on your inputs and historical market performance.

What is a Sequence Risk Heatmap?

A Sequence Risk Heatmap identifies your 'Retirement Red Zone'—the specific years where a market crash would be most devastating to your portfolio longevity. It helps you visualize and mitigate sequence of returns risk by showing exactly how many years of survival are lost if a crash occurs in a given year.

How does the historical stress test work?

Our stress test engine simulates how your retirement plan would have performed during historical 'Black Swan' events like the Great Depression (1929), 1970s Stagflation, or the Lost Decade (2000s). It assesses if your plan is 'anti-fragile' and capable of surviving extreme economic crises during your most vulnerable first years of retirement.

What does the Social Security Optimizer do?

The Social Security Optimizer helps you compare different claiming strategies (Age 62, Full Retirement Age, Age 70) to find the breakeven points and maximize your lifetime cumulative benefits, seamlessly integrated into your retirement plan.

How does the Geographic Arbitrage Simulator work?

The Geographic Arbitrage Simulator lets you compare the true cost of retiring in different US states. It factors in state income tax, cost of living, property tax, healthcare costs, and sales tax to help you optimize where you live in retirement.

Free Retirement Calculator | 401k IRA Planning Tool

Funded Ratio

Sequence Risk Heatmap

High Risk

Moderate

Low Risk

Retirement Summary

Year-by-Year Projection

Year	Age	Phase	Starting Balance	Contributions	Distributions	S.S. $	Investment Growth %	Investment Growth	Ending Balance

Portfolio Balance Over Time

Income & Expenses Timeline

Monte Carlo Success Distribution

Spending by Retirement Phase

Funded Ratio Success Curve

Geographic Arbitrage Simulator

Compare how relocating to a different state could impact your retirement costs. Select your current state and up to 3 comparison states below.

Compare Retirement Locations

Your Current State

Annual Retirement Income

Home Value

Annual Spending

Compare With

Run a Calculation to See Tax Planning

Enter your financial information and click "Calculate" to see your Roth Conversion Tax Valley analysis. Enable "Roth Conversion Analysis" in Advanced Options for detailed projections.

Run a Calculation to See SS Optimizer

Enter your Social Security information and click "Calculate" to compare claiming strategies at ages 62, 67, and 70.

Your Financial Information

Funded Ratio

Die With Zero Optimizer

Sequence Risk Heatmap

Retirement Summary

Year-by-Year Projection

Portfolio Balance Over Time

Income & Expenses Timeline

Monte Carlo Success Distribution

Spending by Retirement Phase

Funded Ratio Success Curve

Geographic Arbitrage Simulator

Compare Retirement Locations

Compare With

Annual Cost Comparison

Run a Calculation to See Tax Planning

Run a Calculation to See SS Optimizer

Your Financial Information

Funded Ratio

Die With Zero Optimizer

Sequence Risk Heatmap

Retirement Summary

Year-by-Year Projection

📈 Portfolio Balance Over Time

💰 Income & Expenses Timeline

🎲 Monte Carlo Success Distribution

🏃 Spending by Retirement Phase

🎯 Funded Ratio Success Curve

Geographic Arbitrage Simulator

Compare Retirement Locations

Compare With

📊 Annual Cost Comparison

Run a Calculation to See Tax Planning

Run a Calculation to See SS Optimizer

Portfolio Balance Over Time

Income & Expenses Timeline

Monte Carlo Success Distribution

Spending by Retirement Phase

Funded Ratio Success Curve

Annual Cost Comparison