Retirement Readiness Planner
See if your savings, Social Security, and pension will actually last through retirement.
Open the Interactive CalculatorHow It's Calculated
All figures are modeled in today's purchasing power: nominal return and inflation are collapsed into one real return, so Social Security, pension, and spending — all entered in today's dollars — never need separate inflation adjustments.
Real Return = (1 + Nominal Return) ÷ (1 + Inflation) − 1, applied monthly before and after retirement (at different rates).
Each retirement year, the amount withdrawn from savings = max(0, Desired Monthly Income − Guaranteed Monthly Income) × 12; guaranteed income only counts Social Security once you reach your claiming age.
Example
Example: starting at age 35 with $150,000 saved and $1,500/month contributed, growing at a 7% nominal return (2.5% inflation) until retiring at 65, projects to a healthy nest egg by retirement. If Social Security ($2,200/mo at 67) plus any pension doesn't fully cover a $6,000/month target, the shortfall is drawn from savings each year at a more conservative 4.5% post-retirement return — the calculator flags whether that portfolio lasts through your life expectancy or runs dry early.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are all the dollar amounts "in today's dollars"?
Rather than showing a huge, hard-to-interpret nominal number decades from now, this calculator strips out inflation entirely so every figure — including Social Security and pension — reflects today's purchasing power, which is what your money will actually feel like.
Should I claim Social Security at 62, 67, or 70?
Claiming early (62) locks in a permanently reduced benefit; waiting until 70 maximizes your monthly check. The right choice depends on your health, other income, and whether you need the money sooner — try a few claiming ages here to see the impact on how long your savings last.
Why is the return lower after retirement?
Most advisors recommend shifting toward a more conservative, less volatile mix of investments once you start drawing down savings, since there's less time to recover from a market downturn.
This says my money runs out — what can I do?
The biggest levers are working a few more years, saving more now, reducing your target retirement spending, or delaying Social Security — try adjusting each one here to see which combination gets you back on track.