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$6,730
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: $6,730 · 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 $6,730 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
Nov 6, 2026(start)
Age 30
Savings
$50,000
Contrib.
—
Returns
—
Change
—
Entering a balance updates your savings plan.
Nov 6, 2026(start)
Age 30
$50,000
Updates your savings plan—
—
—
Dec 31, 2026
Age 30
Savings
$51,545projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$531projected
Change
+$7,262projected
Dec 31, 2026
Age 30
$51,545projected
+$531projected
$6,730
+$7,262projected
Dec 31, 2027
Age 31
Savings
$61,910projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$3,634projected
Change
+$10,364projected
Dec 31, 2027
Age 31
$61,910projected
+$3,634projected
$6,730
+$10,364projected
Dec 31, 2028
Age 32
Savings
$73,005projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$4,365projected
Change
+$11,095projected
Dec 31, 2028
Age 32
$73,005projected
+$4,365projected
$6,730
+$11,095projected
Dec 31, 2029
Age 33
Savings
$84,882projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$5,147projected
Change
+$11,877projected
Dec 31, 2029
Age 33
$84,882projected
+$5,147projected
$6,730
+$11,877projected
Dec 31, 2030
Age 34
Savings
$97,597projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$5,984projected
Change
+$12,715projected
Dec 31, 2030
Age 34
$97,597projected
+$5,984projected
$6,730
+$12,715projected
Dec 31, 2031
Age 35
Savings
$111,208projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$6,881projected
Change
+$13,611projected
Dec 31, 2031
Age 35
$111,208projected
+$6,881projected
$6,730
+$13,611projected
Dec 31, 2032
Age 36
Savings
$125,778projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$7,840projected
Change
+$14,571projected
Dec 31, 2032
Age 36
$125,778projected
+$7,840projected
$6,730
+$14,571projected
Dec 31, 2033
Age 37
Savings
$141,376projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$8,867projected
Change
+$15,598projected
Dec 31, 2033
Age 37
$141,376projected
+$8,867projected
$6,730
+$15,598projected
Dec 31, 2034
Age 38
Savings
$158,074projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$9,967projected
Change
+$16,697projected
Dec 31, 2034
Age 38
$158,074projected
+$9,967projected
$6,730
+$16,697projected
Dec 31, 2035
Age 39
Savings
$175,948projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$11,144projected
Change
+$17,875projected
Dec 31, 2035
Age 39
$175,948projected
+$11,144projected
$6,730
+$17,875projected
Dec 31, 2036
Age 40
Savings
$195,083projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$12,404projected
Change
+$19,135projected
Dec 31, 2036
Age 40
$195,083projected
+$12,404projected
$6,730
+$19,135projected
Dec 31, 2037
Age 41
Savings
$215,567projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$13,753projected
Change
+$20,484projected
Dec 31, 2037
Age 41
$215,567projected
+$13,753projected
$6,730
+$20,484projected
Dec 31, 2038
Age 42
Savings
$237,495projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$15,197projected
Change
+$21,928projected
Dec 31, 2038
Age 42
$237,495projected
+$15,197projected
$6,730
+$21,928projected
Dec 31, 2039
Age 43
Savings
$260,968projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$16,743projected
Change
+$23,474projected
Dec 31, 2039
Age 43
$260,968projected
+$16,743projected
$6,730
+$23,474projected
Dec 31, 2040
Age 44
Savings
$286,097projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$18,398projected
Change
+$25,129projected
Dec 31, 2040
Age 44
$286,097projected
+$18,398projected
$6,730
+$25,129projected
Dec 31, 2041
Age 45
Savings
$312,997projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$20,170projected
Change
+$26,900projected
Dec 31, 2041
Age 45
$312,997projected
+$20,170projected
$6,730
+$26,900projected
Dec 31, 2042
Age 46
Savings
$341,794projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$22,066projected
Change
+$28,797projected
Dec 31, 2042
Age 46
$341,794projected
+$22,066projected
$6,730
+$28,797projected
Dec 31, 2043
Age 47
Savings
$372,621projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$24,096projected
Change
+$30,827projected
Dec 31, 2043
Age 47
$372,621projected
+$24,096projected
$6,730
+$30,827projected
Dec 31, 2044
Age 48
Savings
$405,621projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$26,270projected
Change
+$33,000projected
Dec 31, 2044
Age 48
$405,621projected
+$26,270projected
$6,730
+$33,000projected
Dec 31, 2045
Age 49
Savings
$440,948projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$28,596projected
Change
+$35,327projected
Dec 31, 2045
Age 49
$440,948projected
+$28,596projected
$6,730
+$35,327projected
Dec 31, 2046
Age 50
Savings
$478,765projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$31,087projected
Change
+$37,817projected
Dec 31, 2046
Age 50
$478,765projected
+$31,087projected
$6,730
+$37,817projected
Dec 31, 2047
Age 51
Savings
$519,249projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$33,753projected
Change
+$40,483projected
Dec 31, 2047
Age 51
$519,249projected
+$33,753projected
$6,730
+$40,483projected
Dec 31, 2048
Age 52
Savings
$562,586projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$36,607projected
Change
+$43,337projected
Dec 31, 2048
Age 52
$562,586projected
+$36,607projected
$6,730
+$43,337projected
Dec 31, 2049
Age 53
Savings
$608,979projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$39,662projected
Change
+$46,393projected
Dec 31, 2049
Age 53
$608,979projected
+$39,662projected
$6,730
+$46,393projected
Dec 31, 2050
Age 54
Savings
$658,643projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$42,933projected
Change
+$49,663projected
Dec 31, 2050
Age 54
$658,643projected
+$42,933projected
$6,730
+$49,663projected
Dec 31, 2051
Age 55
Savings
$711,807projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$46,434projected
Change
+$53,165projected
Dec 31, 2051
Age 55
$711,807projected
+$46,434projected
$6,730
+$53,165projected
Dec 31, 2052
Age 56
Savings
$768,720projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$50,182projected
Change
+$56,913projected
Dec 31, 2052
Age 56
$768,720projected
+$50,182projected
$6,730
+$56,913projected
Dec 31, 2053
Age 57
Savings
$829,645projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$54,195projected
Change
+$60,925projected
Dec 31, 2053
Age 57
$829,645projected
+$54,195projected
$6,730
+$60,925projected
Dec 31, 2054
Age 58
Savings
$894,866projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$58,490projected
Change
+$65,220projected
Dec 31, 2054
Age 58
$894,866projected
+$58,490projected
$6,730
+$65,220projected
Dec 31, 2055
Age 59
Savings
$964,684projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$63,088projected
Change
+$69,818projected
Dec 31, 2055
Age 59
$964,684projected
+$63,088projected
$6,730
+$69,818projected
Dec 31, 2056
Age 60
Savings
$1,039,425projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$68,010projected
Change
+$74,741projected
Dec 31, 2056
Age 60
$1,039,425projected
+$68,010projected
$6,730
+$74,741projected
Dec 31, 2057
Age 61
Savings
$1,119,435projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$73,279projected
Change
+$80,010projected
Dec 31, 2057
Age 61
$1,119,435projected
+$73,279projected
$6,730
+$80,010projected
Dec 31, 2058
Age 62
Savings
$1,205,085projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$78,920projected
Change
+$85,651projected
Dec 31, 2058
Age 62
$1,205,085projected
+$78,920projected
$6,730
+$85,651projected
Dec 31, 2059
Age 63
Savings
$1,296,774projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$84,959projected
Change
+$91,689projected
Dec 31, 2059
Age 63
$1,296,774projected
+$84,959projected
$6,730
+$91,689projected
Dec 31, 2060
Age 64
Savings
$1,394,927projected
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$91,423projected
Change
+$98,153projected
Dec 31, 2060
Age 64
$1,394,927projected
+$91,423projected
$6,730
+$98,153projected
Dec 31, 2061(retire)
Age 65
Savings
$1,500,000
Contrib.
$6,730
Returns
+$98,342projected
Change
—
Dec 31, 2061(retire)
Age 65
$1,500,000
+$98,342projected
$6,730
—
Projected total
Nov 6, 2026 → Dec 31, 2061
Savings
$50,000
→ $1,500,000
Projected gains
$1,455,717
Projected returns
$1,213,421
Remaining: $1,213,421
Contributed
$242,296
Remaining: $242,296
Projected totalNov 6, 2026 → Dec 31, 2061
$50,000→ $1,500,000
Projected returns$1,213,421Remaining: $1,213,421
Total contributed$242,296Remaining: $242,296
Projected gains$1,455,717
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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