Why Better Calculator?

This is the best, free, no-strings-attached calculator on the web.

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Built with care to help you plan your financial future with confidence.

Better Retirement Calculator

Understand how your savings, investment growth, taxes, and additional income sources align with your retirement goals.

Additional retirement income

Frequently Asked Questions About Retirement Planning

Common retirement age benchmarks include:

  • Age 62: Earliest age for Social Security benefits (reduced)
  • Age 65: Traditional Medicare eligibility
  • Age 67: Full Social Security retirement age (for most people)
  • Age 70: Maximum Social Security benefits

Your ideal retirement age depends on your financial situation, health, career satisfaction, and personal goals.

Financial experts recommend saving 15-20% of your gross income for retirement. Your retirement savings should aim to replace 70-90% of your pre-retirement income to maintain your lifestyle.

Use our calculator to determine exactly how much you need based on your specific situation, including your current age, desired retirement age, and lifestyle expectations.

Before retirement: Balanced portfolios typically average 6-8% annual returns. Aggressive portfolios (mostly stocks) may see 8-10%, while conservative portfolios (mostly bonds) average 4-6%.

During retirement: Conservative portfolios often target 3-5% returns as you shift toward capital preservation and need to protect against market downturns.

The long-term U.S. inflation average is 2-3% annually. Inflation reduces the purchasing power of your money over time.

Why it matters: Your retirement savings must grow faster than inflation to maintain purchasing power throughout retirement. If inflation is 3% and your investments only grow 2%, you're actually losing 1% in purchasing power each year.

Our calculator accounts for inflation to give you realistic projections of your retirement income.

Common retirement accounts include:

  • 401(k)/403(b)/457: Employer-sponsored plans with tax benefits and potential matching
  • Traditional IRA: Tax-deductible contributions, taxed on withdrawal
  • Roth IRA: After-tax contributions, tax-free withdrawals in retirement
  • SEP-IRA/SIMPLE IRA: For self-employed individuals and small businesses

Always maximize employer matching first—it's free money for your retirement.