Retirement Savings Calculator
Projected pot, in today's money as well as tomorrow's.
Work out Retirement Savings. Projected pot, in today's money as well as tomorrow's. No rate is assumed — every figure is yours to set.
Your own assumption. Long-run stock market averages are often quoted around 7% after inflation, but past returns are not a forecast.
Used to express the result in today's money. Central bank targets are commonly 2%.
A projection from assumptions you supply, not a forecast. Real returns vary, and sequence of returns matters as much as the average.
Projected pot
772,315
368,196 in today's money after 2.5% inflation
Two figures are shown because only one of them is meaningful. A pot of half a million in thirty years buys what roughly half that does today at 2.5% inflation, and quoting the nominal number alone is the single most misleading thing a retirement projection can do. Contributions are treated as arriving at the end of each month, which is the conservative convention. Every rate here is your assumption, not a forecast. Real returns vary enormously over any thirty-year window, and the sequence matters as much as the average — a poor decade early does far more damage than the same decade late.
How the Retirement Savings Calculator works
Enter what you have saved, what you add each month and how long you have. The result is shown both in nominal terms and in today's money, because a pot of half a million in thirty years does not buy what half a million buys now.
Also known as: retirement calculator · how much will my pension be worth · retirement projection calculator · pension pot calculator
Not financial advice. This calculator is for planning and illustration, not financial advice. Real products carry fees, taxes, and terms it does not model. Confirm figures with your lender or a qualified adviser before committing.
Frequently asked questions
How much do I need to retire?
There is no single figure — it depends on your spending, not your income. A common starting point is 25 times your annual spending, from the 4% withdrawal guideline, but that guideline assumes a particular portfolio and a 30-year horizon and is debated.
Why show the value in today's money?
Because the nominal figure flatters badly. At 2.5% inflation, money halves in purchasing power roughly every 28 years, so a projection quoting only the nominal pot overstates what it will actually buy by around half over a full career.
What return should I assume?
Yours to choose, and this page will not choose for you. Long-run equity averages are often quoted near 7% after inflation, but any given 30-year window can differ substantially and past returns are not a forecast.
Why does starting early matter so much?
Because growth compounds on growth. Contributions made in the first decade have the longest to work, which is why a saver who stops after ten early years often finishes ahead of one who starts ten years later and never stops.
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