How much money do I need to retire?
This retirement calculator runs simulations based on past data from the S&P 500, 10 Year Treasury Bond,
3 month T-Bill, and US inflation. For each year of each simulation, a random return and
inflation amount is chosen.
How to use: Enter your current age and the age when you retire. Then enter your current
savings, the amount that you can save annually before you retire, and the amount that
you plan to withdraw after retirement. Your annual deposits and withdrawals take
inflation into account. For example, if you need $50,000 to live on in retirement using today's
dollars, we will automatically take into account the cost of living for your retirement
years. The same is true for your annual deposits. Next, decide if you'd like to simulate
a stock market crash.
In the portfolio section, choose the makeup of your portfolio with stocks, bonds, and cash.
Cash assumes that your money is stored in a savings account. You can then alter the
future returns and inflation. For example, if the market has historically returned about
10%, but you think the future will be worse, modify the stock returns by -3%, and the
future returns will average out to 7%. Investment fees can also lower stock market returns.
Many index funds and ETFs offer extremely low fees and expenses.
Many people receive income in retirement, such as social security, pension plans, part time jobs, annuities,
and other benefits. This would allow you to take out smaller distributions every year. Please note that taxes must
also be considered, but are not used in this simulation. A 401k, Roth IRA, and Traditional IRA are taxed differently
than a standard investment account, as are dividends.
Note: This assumes that the future is at least somewhat like the past.
In reality, anything could happen. The Soviet Union collapsed, Japan's Nikkei
Index is still well below its 1989 peak. Numerous other markets have changed
drastically and never recovered. However, this online tool is helpful in retirement planning and
estimating how much you might need for retirement, especially those hoping to retire early.
We recommend receiving advice from a financial planner.
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