Finance
Retirement Nest Egg Calculator
How much you'll have at retirement — and if it's enough.
In this article
The 4% withdrawal rule
The "4% rule" (Bengen, 1994) suggests withdrawing 4% of your nest egg annually gives a 95%+ chance your money lasts 30 years. On $1M, that's $40,000/year ($3,333/month). Adjust based on your risk tolerance and timeline.
The power of time
Starting at 25 vs 35 with identical contributions: the 25-year-old ends up with roughly 2× as much. The difference is entirely compound growth — the money that money makes.
Am I saving enough?
💡 Rule of thumb: aim to replace 70–80% of pre-retirement income. Social Security covers ~$20,000–$30,000/year for average earners. Your nest egg needs to fill the gap.
⚡ CalcWolf Insight
Fidelity's 2026 retirement benchmark: have 1× your salary saved by 30, 3× by 40, 6× by 50, 8× by 60. The median American retirement savings at age 55–64 is ~$185,000 — far short for most income levels.
Frequently asked questions
How much do I need to retire comfortably?▾
Use the 4% rule: divide your desired annual income by 0.04. To generate $60,000/year, you need $1.5M. Social Security offsets some of this need.
What is the 4% rule?▾
Withdraw 4% of savings in year one, adjust for inflation annually, and your money should last 30 years. A $1M nest egg supports $40K/year. Recent research suggests 3.3-3.5% may be safer.
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