How Much Do I Need to Retire?
Your retirement number based on the income you want — backed by 97 years of real market data.
50
You need to retire at 50 with $5,000/mo
$1.6M
60/40 stocks/bonds · 90% historical survival · Plan to age 100
How much you need by retirement age (at $5,000/mo)
Different income levels at age 50
$3,000/mo
$986,301
$5,000/mo
$1.6M
$7,500/mo
$2.5M
$10,000/mo
$3.3M
How allocation affects your number at age 50
100/0
$1.7M
SWR: 3.6%
80/20
$1.6M
SWR: 3.8%
60/40
$1.6M
SWR: 3.6%
40/60
$1.8M
SWR: 3.4%
20/80
$2.2M
SWR: 2.7%
But life isn't a straight line.
Kids, a new home, moving abroad, career changes — your number shifts with every life event. Get a personalized plan that adapts.
How This Calculator Works
Your retirement number is calculated from the sustainable withdrawal rate (SWR) for your specific age and portfolio allocation. The formula is simple: Retirement Number = Annual Income ÷ SWR.
The SWR comes from testing every possible retirement starting year from 1926 to 2022, using actual S&P 500 and 10-year U.S. Treasury bond returns. We find the highest withdrawal rate where at least 90% of historical periods survived to age 100.
All numbers are in today's dollars (inflation-adjusted). Your actual withdrawal amount increases each year to keep pace with inflation.