Simple retirement calculator
Enter your age, a target retirement age, current savings, monthly contributions, and an assumed annual return. You get a projected balance, the split between contributions and assumed growth, and a year-by-year table you can inspect. It is arithmetic, not a forecast.
Read the split, not just the total
The most useful number here is rarely the final balance. It is the comparison between what you contributed and what the assumed return added. If growth dominates, the result is sensitive to an assumption nobody can guarantee. If contributions dominate, the plan rests on something you control.
Try the same inputs with a lower return before you rely on any single figure.
What the model leaves out
Real outcomes depend on variables this page does not model, which is why the output is an illustration rather than a projection of your retirement. Treating any of these as negligible is the fastest way to make the final number meaningless.
- Taxes, account types, and contribution limits
- Inflation and the purchasing power of the final balance
- Fees, and returns that arrive in an unfavorable order
- Social Security, pensions, and required minimum distributions
How to stress-test your own inputs
Run the calculation three times rather than once. Use a return you would describe as pessimistic, one you consider reasonable, and one that is frankly optimistic. The spread between the three results is the honest answer, and it is usually wide enough to change how you think about the goal.
Then hold the return constant and vary the contribution instead. Most people find that a modest, sustained increase in monthly contributions moves the result more reliably than any assumption they can defend about markets — and unlike the return, it is a decision they control.
Where to go after a ballpark number
A number is a prompt, not a plan. The next questions are usually about what you already own and whether the mix matches the horizon you just typed in, which is what portfolio analysis in the StockLift app is for.
For anything with legal or tax consequences — equity compensation, a concentrated position, a retirement date you cannot move — the right next step is a licensed financial advisor rather than a browser calculator.
How this page calculates its output
The model compounds the starting balance once per year at the assumed rate and adds twelve monthly contributions at the end of each year. It does not compound contributions within the year, so the result is slightly conservative compared with monthly compounding.
Years are counted as retirement age minus current age. The assumed return is capped at 15% because constant high returns produce misleading curves.
All figures are nominal U.S. dollars with no inflation adjustment, and the calculation happens in your browser using only the values you enter.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the assumed return capped at 15%?
A constant double-digit return compounded for decades produces a number that looks precise and is not. The cap keeps the tool in the range where it is useful as an illustration.
Does it use my linked accounts?
No. This calculator only compounds the figures you type. It has no access to any brokerage account.
Is the projected balance in today's dollars?
No. The output is nominal and not inflation-adjusted, so the purchasing power of the final figure will be lower than it appears.
Can StockLift invest this money for me?
No. StockLift provides research and portfolio analysis and does not execute transactions or take discretion over accounts.
How does this compare with the SEC's calculator?
Both are compound-interest illustrations. The SEC's version is linked in the references below and is a good cross-check on the arithmetic.
References
Information on this page is educational and is not personalized investment advice. StockLift provides portfolio tracking, analysis tools, and access to licensed financial advisors. StockLift does not execute transactions — any investment decision happens at your own brokerage, and all investing involves risk of loss.