Retirement planning guides and calculators
Retirement planning is working out how much you need, when you can stop working, and how you will draw the money down. Run the numbers in a calculator, then read the guide behind it.
8 guides and 7 calculators
Retirement calculators
RMD calculator
This year's required minimum distribution from your balance and age.
Source: IRS Pub. 590-B Uniform Lifetime Table, 2026 figures
Estimate your RMD →Inherited IRA RMD calculator
The RMD on an inherited IRA, the rule that applies, and your 10-year deadline.
Source: IRS Pub. 590-B Single Life Expectancy Table and TD 10001, final RMD regulations, 2026 figures
Check your inherited IRA RMD →Annuity calculator
Monthly income a lump sum buys over a set period, and the taxable share.
Source: IRS Pub. 939, 2026 figures
Price an annuity →Retirement calculator
The balance you need at retirement, your gap, and the saving that closes it.
Source: SSA 2026 COLA fact sheet and IRS Notice 2025-67, 2026 figures
Check your retirement number →401(k) calculator
Your 401(k) balance at retirement from deferrals and employer match.
Source: IRS Notice 2025-67, 2026 figures
Project your 401(k) →Coast FIRE calculator
The balance that grows into your retirement target with no new saving.
Source: IRS Notice 2025-67, 2026 figures
Find your Coast FIRE number →Social Security claiming plan
Paid planThe filing age that pays the most lifetime benefits, for one person or a couple.
Source: SSA benefit reduction by age, SSA delayed retirement credits, and SSA spouse's benefits, 2026 figures
Build a claiming plan →
Key 2026 figures
From IRS Notice 2025-67, the same source the calculators use.
| Figure | 2026 |
|---|---|
| 401(k) employee deferral limit | $24,500 |
| 401(k) catch-up, age 50 and older | $8,000 |
| 401(k) catch-up, ages 60 through 63 | $11,250 |
| IRA contribution limit | $7,500 |
| RMD age, born 1951 through 1959 | 73 |
| RMD age, born 1960 or later | 75 |
Retirement accounts and withdrawals
Which account to fund first, and the minimum you have to take out once you retire.
Key terms
- Withdrawal rate
- The share of your portfolio you plan to take out each year. Your savings target is the income you need from it divided by this rate.How much money do you need to retire? →
- FIRE
- Financial independence, retire early: saving and investing enough that a portfolio can cover your expenses without a paycheck.What is FIRE (financial independence, retire early)? →
- Crossover point
- The month your investment income, at your chosen withdrawal rate, first exceeds your monthly spending. Past it, working is optional.What is FIRE (financial independence, retire early)? →
- Mega backdoor Roth
- After-tax 401(k) contributions above the deferral limit, converted to Roth, for savers whose plan allows it.What is a mega backdoor Roth? →
Frequently asked questions
How much money do you need to retire?
Take your annual spending in retirement, subtract guaranteed income such as Social Security or a pension, and divide what is left by the withdrawal rate you plan to use. The guaranteed income step moves the answer the most, and rules of thumb skip it.
Learn more: How much money do you need to retire?
How much does Social Security cover?
The average retired worker collected $2,084.40 a month from Social Security in June 2026. Every dollar of that is income your own savings do not have to produce, so it comes off your target before you divide by a withdrawal rate.
Learn more: How much money do you need to retire?
What is the 4% rule?
The 4% rule says you can withdraw 4% of your portfolio in the first year of retirement and adjust for inflation after that. That puts the savings target at about 25 times your annual expenses; people planning a longer retirement often use a lower rate.
Learn more: What is FIRE (financial independence, retire early)?
What does FIRE stand for?
FIRE stands for financial independence, retire early. The idea is to save and invest a high enough share of your income that a portfolio can cover your living expenses without a paycheck. Your savings rate, more than your income, decides how long that takes.
Learn more: What is FIRE (financial independence, retire early)?
How much can I put in a 401(k) in 2026?
You can defer $24,500 of your pay into a 401(k) in 2026, plus a $8,000 catch-up from age 50, or $11,250 if you turn 60 to 63 during the year. Everything from every source, your employer's money included, is capped at $72,000 before catch-ups.
Learn more: What is a mega backdoor Roth?