Retirement Planner — Project Your Nest Egg
Enter your age, target retirement age, current savings, monthly contribution, and expected return. CalcWize projects your nest egg at retirement, your safe annual withdrawal under the 4% rule (or whatever rate you set), and how that compares to the income you actually want — flagging the gap or surplus.
The "today's money" toggle
Future amounts are misleading at long horizons because inflation eats real purchasing power. Toggle "Today's money" to discount the projected nest egg back to current prices using the inflation rate you set. A $1.2M nest egg in 30 years at 3% inflation is worth about $494k today — much smaller than it sounds.
Safe withdrawal rate explained
The 4% rule (Bengen, 1994) suggests you can withdraw 4% of your initial nest egg in year one, then adjust for inflation each year, with a high probability of not running out over 30 years. More conservative planners use 3.0–3.5% for longer retirements; aggressive ones use 4.5–5%.
How to read the gap
CalcWize shows three figures side by side: your projected nest egg, the "target" required to fund your desired retirement income at the safe withdrawal rate, and the gap between them. A negative gap is a surplus; a positive gap is the shortfall you need to close. The fastest closes usually come from increasing monthly contributions, delaying retirement by 1–2 years, or accepting a lower target income.
Sequence-of-returns risk
A retirement-portfolio is most fragile in its first decade — a bad market in years 1–5 can permanently impair the long-term outcome even if the average return is fine, because you're drawing money down at the same time. CalcWize uses a smooth average return; real markets are bumpy. Build a buffer (cash for 2–3 years of spending) and don't treat the projection as a guarantee.
Country tax-wrappers (briefly)
Most countries offer tax-advantaged retirement accounts: 401(k) and IRA in the US, ISA and SIPP in the UK, RA / TFSA in South Africa, RRSP and TFSA in Canada, NPS / PPF in India, and so on. Contributions to these typically reduce taxable income or grow tax-free. The Tax Estimator on this site applies the appropriate cap for each country it supports.
Frequently asked questions
- What withdrawal rate should I choose?
- 4% is the common starting point for a roughly 30-year retirement. Longer retirements or more cautious planners often use 3–3.5%. It is a guideline, not a guarantee — see our guide on the 4% rule.
- Why is the “today’s money” figure so much smaller?
- Inflation erodes purchasing power over decades, so a large future balance buys far less than the same number would today. The toggle shows the realistic, inflation-adjusted picture.
- Does it include a state pension or social security?
- No — it projects your personal savings only. Add any guaranteed income such as a state pension, social security, or an annuity separately when judging whether you are on track.
How we calculate it
Your nest egg is projected by compounding current savings plus monthly contributions to your target retirement age at the expected return. The safe annual income is that nest egg multiplied by your withdrawal rate (4% by default). The “today’s money” view discounts future figures back to current prices using your inflation assumption.
What it doesn't do
- Country-specific contribution caps (use the Tax Estimator for that)
- Healthcare-cost projections, long-term care, or social security modelling
Last reviewed: 2026-05