How Much Should I Save for Retirement Each Month?
Use a concrete age-30 retirement scenario to estimate a monthly savings target, then see how the answer changes with time, returns, and starting balance.
Current$50,000
Target$1,500,000
ByDec 31, 2061
Planned by Dec 31$6,715
30 seconds to a retirement plan. Project your nest egg.
Retirement target
$
Start date
Age at Dec 31, 2026i
Retirement age
Contribution increase / yri
%
Starting Savingsi
$
Investment Returnsi
i
%
Past performance doesn't guarantee future results. Real (after-inflation) returns are typically 2-3 percentage points lower than nominal.
$50,000 of $1,500,000 · 3.3%Planned by Dec 31, 2026: $6,715 · 35 years left · by Dec 31, 2061
Current Savings
$50,000
Portfolio Over Time
Plan vs. recorded — sit above the grey line for ahead, below for behind.
Annual Flow
Money in vs. growth, year by year.
Contribution
Projected gains
Recorded gain
Recorded loss
Target $1,500,000 · planned $6,715 by 2026 · 35 years · final $1,500,000
Just enter your balance once in a while. We'll track progress to retirement.
↓ In the future, enter your balance in the tracker below
DateSavingsInvestment returnsContribution goalGains
Oct 30, 2026(start)
Age 30
Savings
$50,000
Contrib.
—
Returns
—
Change
—
Entering a balance updates your savings plan.
Oct 30, 2026(start)
Age 30
$50,000
Updates your savings plan—
—
—
Dec 31, 2026
Age 30
Savings
$51,739projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$599projected
Change
+$7,314projected
Dec 31, 2026
Age 30
$51,739projected
+$599projected
$6,715
+$7,314projected
Dec 31, 2027
Age 31
Savings
$62,102projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$3,648projected
Change
+$10,363projected
Dec 31, 2027
Age 31
$62,102projected
+$3,648projected
$6,715
+$10,363projected
Dec 31, 2028
Age 32
Savings
$73,196projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$4,378projected
Change
+$11,094projected
Dec 31, 2028
Age 32
$73,196projected
+$4,378projected
$6,715
+$11,094projected
Dec 31, 2029
Age 33
Savings
$85,072projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$5,160projected
Change
+$11,876projected
Dec 31, 2029
Age 33
$85,072projected
+$5,160projected
$6,715
+$11,876projected
Dec 31, 2030
Age 34
Savings
$97,785projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$5,998projected
Change
+$12,713projected
Dec 31, 2030
Age 34
$97,785projected
+$5,998projected
$6,715
+$12,713projected
Dec 31, 2031
Age 35
Savings
$111,394projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$6,894projected
Change
+$13,609projected
Dec 31, 2031
Age 35
$111,394projected
+$6,894projected
$6,715
+$13,609projected
Dec 31, 2032
Age 36
Savings
$125,962projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$7,853projected
Change
+$14,569projected
Dec 31, 2032
Age 36
$125,962projected
+$7,853projected
$6,715
+$14,569projected
Dec 31, 2033
Age 37
Savings
$141,558projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$8,880projected
Change
+$15,596projected
Dec 31, 2033
Age 37
$141,558projected
+$8,880projected
$6,715
+$15,596projected
Dec 31, 2034
Age 38
Savings
$158,253projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$9,980projected
Change
+$16,695projected
Dec 31, 2034
Age 38
$158,253projected
+$9,980projected
$6,715
+$16,695projected
Dec 31, 2035
Age 39
Savings
$176,126projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$11,157projected
Change
+$17,872projected
Dec 31, 2035
Age 39
$176,126projected
+$11,157projected
$6,715
+$17,872projected
Dec 31, 2036
Age 40
Savings
$195,258projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$12,417projected
Change
+$19,132projected
Dec 31, 2036
Age 40
$195,258projected
+$12,417projected
$6,715
+$19,132projected
Dec 31, 2037
Age 41
Savings
$215,739projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$13,766projected
Change
+$20,481projected
Dec 31, 2037
Age 41
$215,739projected
+$13,766projected
$6,715
+$20,481projected
Dec 31, 2038
Age 42
Savings
$237,664projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$15,210projected
Change
+$21,925projected
Dec 31, 2038
Age 42
$237,664projected
+$15,210projected
$6,715
+$21,925projected
Dec 31, 2039
Age 43
Savings
$261,135projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$16,755projected
Change
+$23,471projected
Dec 31, 2039
Age 43
$261,135projected
+$16,755projected
$6,715
+$23,471projected
Dec 31, 2040
Age 44
Savings
$286,260projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$18,410projected
Change
+$25,125projected
Dec 31, 2040
Age 44
$286,260projected
+$18,410projected
$6,715
+$25,125projected
Dec 31, 2041
Age 45
Savings
$313,157projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$20,181projected
Change
+$26,897projected
Dec 31, 2041
Age 45
$313,157projected
+$20,181projected
$6,715
+$26,897projected
Dec 31, 2042
Age 46
Savings
$341,949projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$22,078projected
Change
+$28,793projected
Dec 31, 2042
Age 46
$341,949projected
+$22,078projected
$6,715
+$28,793projected
Dec 31, 2043
Age 47
Savings
$372,772projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$24,107projected
Change
+$30,823projected
Dec 31, 2043
Age 47
$372,772projected
+$24,107projected
$6,715
+$30,823projected
Dec 31, 2044
Age 48
Savings
$405,768projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$26,280projected
Change
+$32,996projected
Dec 31, 2044
Age 48
$405,768projected
+$26,280projected
$6,715
+$32,996projected
Dec 31, 2045
Age 49
Savings
$441,090projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$28,607projected
Change
+$35,322projected
Dec 31, 2045
Age 49
$441,090projected
+$28,607projected
$6,715
+$35,322projected
Dec 31, 2046
Age 50
Savings
$478,902projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$31,097projected
Change
+$37,812projected
Dec 31, 2046
Age 50
$478,902projected
+$31,097projected
$6,715
+$37,812projected
Dec 31, 2047
Age 51
Savings
$519,380projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$33,763projected
Change
+$40,478projected
Dec 31, 2047
Age 51
$519,380projected
+$33,763projected
$6,715
+$40,478projected
Dec 31, 2048
Age 52
Savings
$562,712projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$36,616projected
Change
+$43,332projected
Dec 31, 2048
Age 52
$562,712projected
+$36,616projected
$6,715
+$43,332projected
Dec 31, 2049
Age 53
Savings
$609,099projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$39,671projected
Change
+$46,387projected
Dec 31, 2049
Age 53
$609,099projected
+$39,671projected
$6,715
+$46,387projected
Dec 31, 2050
Age 54
Savings
$658,755projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$42,941projected
Change
+$49,657projected
Dec 31, 2050
Age 54
$658,755projected
+$42,941projected
$6,715
+$49,657projected
Dec 31, 2051
Age 55
Savings
$711,913projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$46,442projected
Change
+$53,158projected
Dec 31, 2051
Age 55
$711,913projected
+$46,442projected
$6,715
+$53,158projected
Dec 31, 2052
Age 56
Savings
$768,818projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$50,190projected
Change
+$56,905projected
Dec 31, 2052
Age 56
$768,818projected
+$50,190projected
$6,715
+$56,905projected
Dec 31, 2053
Age 57
Savings
$829,735projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$54,202projected
Change
+$60,917projected
Dec 31, 2053
Age 57
$829,735projected
+$54,202projected
$6,715
+$60,917projected
Dec 31, 2054
Age 58
Savings
$894,947projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$58,496projected
Change
+$65,212projected
Dec 31, 2054
Age 58
$894,947projected
+$58,496projected
$6,715
+$65,212projected
Dec 31, 2055
Age 59
Savings
$964,756projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$63,094projected
Change
+$69,809projected
Dec 31, 2055
Age 59
$964,756projected
+$63,094projected
$6,715
+$69,809projected
Dec 31, 2056
Age 60
Savings
$1,039,487projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$68,015projected
Change
+$74,731projected
Dec 31, 2056
Age 60
$1,039,487projected
+$68,015projected
$6,715
+$74,731projected
Dec 31, 2057
Age 61
Savings
$1,119,486projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$73,284projected
Change
+$79,999projected
Dec 31, 2057
Age 61
$1,119,486projected
+$73,284projected
$6,715
+$79,999projected
Dec 31, 2058
Age 62
Savings
$1,205,125projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$78,924projected
Change
+$85,639projected
Dec 31, 2058
Age 62
$1,205,125projected
+$78,924projected
$6,715
+$85,639projected
Dec 31, 2059
Age 63
Savings
$1,296,802projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$84,961projected
Change
+$91,677projected
Dec 31, 2059
Age 63
$1,296,802projected
+$84,961projected
$6,715
+$91,677projected
Dec 31, 2060
Age 64
Savings
$1,394,942projected
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$91,425projected
Change
+$98,140projected
Dec 31, 2060
Age 64
$1,394,942projected
+$91,425projected
$6,715
+$98,140projected
Dec 31, 2061(retire)
Age 65
Savings
$1,500,000
Contrib.
$6,715
Returns
+$98,343projected
Change
—
Dec 31, 2061(retire)
Age 65
$1,500,000
+$98,343projected
$6,715
—
Projected total
Oct 30, 2026 → Dec 31, 2061
Savings
$50,000
→ $1,500,000
Projected gains
$1,455,575
Projected returns
$1,213,822
Remaining: $1,213,822
Contributed
$241,753
Remaining: $241,753
Projected totalOct 30, 2026 → Dec 31, 2061
$50,000→ $1,500,000
Projected returns$1,213,822Remaining: $1,213,822
Total contributed$241,753Remaining: $241,753
Projected gains$1,455,575
Retirement Savings Calculator
Learn more about this calculator
Knowing you should save for retirement is easy. Knowing exactly how much to put in each year — and replanning when life happens — is where most plans drift. The Retirement Saver gives you a year-by-year savings plan that lands at your target nest egg by the year you turn your retirement age, then lets you log actual balances to keep the trajectory honest.
Enter your age now, your retirement age, and a target. We solve the contribution that — applied each year and compounded at your expected return — lands you exactly on target at year-end of the year you turn 65 (or whatever age you pick). Record your actual portfolio balance any time and the plan replans forward from there. Sit above the grey reference curve to know you're ahead of plan; below it, you're behind.
Need more depth? The Retirement Calculator over in the Financial Suite adds Monte Carlo, sequence-of-returns risk, withdrawal strategies, and Social Security timing. The Saver is the day-to-day sister — simpler inputs, same compounding math, designed for "am I still on track?" check-ins.
What this calculator covers
Use these as a quick scope check before you rely on the output.
- •Year-by-year contribution plan from now to retirement
- •Compound forward at your expected blended return
- •Optional contribution growth rate (raises and lifestyle creep)
- •Multiple accounts: 401(k), IRA, Roth, brokerage, HSA, cash
- •Per-account balance breakdown when recording actuals
- •Above/below the grey reference line shows ahead vs behind plan
- •Annual flow chart: contributions vs projected gains, year by year
- •Save scenarios and share plan links
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from the Retirement Calculator?
The Retirement Calculator is the deep modeling tool — Monte Carlo, withdrawal strategies, life events, Social Security claim timing. The Retirement Saver is the day-to-day check-in: enter your age and target, get a yearly contribution number, record actuals as you go. Many users start in the Saver to set a target, then jump to the Calculator when they want sequence-of-returns confidence.
What return assumption should I use?
The default 7% nominal blended return reflects a 80/15/5 stocks/bonds/cash mix at historical averages. Switch to Detailed mode to set per-asset returns and adjust your allocation. Real (after-inflation) returns are typically 2-3 percentage points lower.
What if I can't hit the suggested contribution?
Override any year's contribution to a number you can actually save. The plan replans from the next year forward — sometimes the answer is a later retirement date, not a higher contribution.
Can I track multiple accounts?
Yes — switch Starting Savings to Detailed and add each account (401(k), IRA, brokerage, etc.). When you record actuals on a tracker row, a per-account breakdown dialog opens so you can capture what each account is worth that day.
How do raises and catch-up years change the plan?
Future raises can make the plan easier if you actually increase contributions instead of absorbing every raise into spending. If you are starting late, model higher contributions in later years and compare that with a later retirement date.
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Practical examples that connect the calculator to real planning decisions.
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