Retirement Planner — Sliders, Live Graph & Inflation

How the Planner Works (Overview)

This retirement planner is a simple, visual way to estimate how your savings could grow before retirement and how long they might last once you start drawing income. It is designed for quick planning: adjust a few sliders, see a projected balance chart, and get a sustainability verdict based on your assumptions. The model compounds monthly and shows both nominal balances and an inflation-adjusted estimate in today's money so you can compare future values on a familiar basis.

Before retirement, your pot grows from two sources: contributions you add each month and investment returns on the existing balance. At retirement, the model switches to your in-retirement return rate and subtracts your planned monthly spending. If the projected balance falls below zero during retirement, the planner flags the estimated year of depletion to help you see whether the plan is sustainable.

How to use the planner step by step

1. Enter your current age and target retirement age.
2. Add your current savings and expected monthly contributions.
3. Set your pre-retirement and post-retirement return rates.
4. Enter your expected retirement spending and years in retirement.
5. Review the chart, projected pot, and verdict, then tweak inputs to test scenarios.

• Pre-retirement growth (monthly): FV = P0(1+r)^n + PMT*((1+r)^n-1)/r
• Inflation adjustment: divide by (1+i)^y to estimate today's money.
• Depletion check: if balance drops below 0 during retirement, we show the year it happens.

Understanding Retirement Planning

Retirement planning is about aligning your savings, investment returns, and spending with the timeline you want. A good plan answers simple questions: How much might I have by retirement? How long could that money last? What changes would improve my outlook? This calculator helps you explore those questions without spreadsheets or complicated formulas.

Key factors that shape your outcome

• Starting age: beginning earlier gives compounding more time to work.
• Retirement age: retiring later adds contribution years and shortens withdrawals.
• Current savings and contributions: the size of your base and monthly inputs matter.
• Investment returns and inflation: these assumptions strongly affect future buying power.
• Spending needs: lifestyle, housing, and health costs drive withdrawals.

Practical examples

A 30-year-old saving a modest monthly amount might see how a small increase in contributions compounds over decades. Someone closer to retirement can test how delaying retirement by a couple of years affects the balance. You can also compare a conservative return assumption to a more optimistic one, or explore what happens if inflation rises and spending grows faster than expected.

The planner includes a rule-of-thumb withdrawal estimate (often called the 4% rule), but it is not a guarantee. Real retirement planning should account for taxes, fees, market volatility, and life changes. Use the tool as a starting point, then refine your plan with more detailed projections or professional advice if needed.

Educational only; not financial advice.