Quick answer
Most retirement targets come from one core formula: annual spending need × 25. The biggest mistake is using gross income instead of actual retirement spending. Housing, taxes, travel, healthcare, and Social Security all change the number.
If you expect to spend $50,000, $80,000, or $100,000 per year, your baseline targets are roughly $1.25M, $2.0M, and $2.5M before offsets from Social Security or a pension.
Retirement savings target by annual spending
| Annual spending | Basic 25× target | With $24k/yr Social Security offset |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $1,250,000 | $650,000 |
| $60,000 | $1,500,000 | $900,000 |
| $70,000 | $1,750,000 | $1,150,000 |
| $80,000 | $2,000,000 | $1,400,000 |
| $90,000 | $2,250,000 | $1,650,000 |
| $100,000 | $2,500,000 | $1,900,000 |
How it works
Enter your details
Add your age, current savings, monthly contributions, and target retirement spending.
See your projection
We compare your projected balance against an inflation-aware retirement target.
Adjust the plan
Test higher savings, later retirement, or lower spending to close any gap.
Calculate your exact retirement number
Use the advanced calculator to include inflation, Social Security, pensions, and shareable results.
What changes your number?
Your retirement target is not a fixed internet number. It moves based on lifestyle, location, taxes, inflation, healthcare, and whether you plan to stop working fully or phase into retirement. A household with a paid-off home and solid Social Security benefits may need far less from investments than a household planning to retire early in a high-cost city.
Healthcare is the biggest wildcard. If you retire before 65, the pre-Medicare years can add thousands per month in costs. Inflation is the second big swing factor: a plan that looks comfortable today can feel tight two decades later if you ignore rising prices.
That is why the fastest useful answer is not “you need $X million.” It is “you need enough invested to cover the gap between your spending and your guaranteed income.” Once you know that gap, you can stress-test the plan instead of guessing.