Retirement calculator

Estimates only. Assumes a constant annual return and contributions made monthly; it does not account for taxes, fees, inflation, or employer contributions. Actual results will vary.

A projection is a useful guide, not a forecast — it depends entirely on the assumptions behind it.

• What the assumptions mean. Any projection rests on inputs you choose — contributions, an assumed growth rate, a retirement age. Small changes to these can move the end result substantially, so it’s worth treating the figure as a range rather than a single point.
• Why real returns vary. Markets don’t deliver a smooth average every year. A projection using a steady assumed return can’t capture the ups and downs that actually shape outcomes — particularly the order in which good and bad years fall.
• Treating the number as a guide. The value of a projection is in the direction it points and the questions it prompts — are you broadly on track, or is there a gap to close? — rather than in the precise figure it produces.

If the projection suggests you’re short of your goal, there are a handful of levers — and most plans use a combination rather than relying on any one.

• Contributing more. Saving more, capturing any employer match in full, and using catch-up contributions if you’re 50 or older all add directly to the pot. Even modest increases compound meaningfully over time.
• Adjusting the target date. Working a little longer shortens the period your savings must fund and gives them more time to grow — often one of the most powerful single levers, though not always possible or desired.
• Reviewing your investment mix. How your savings are invested shapes both their growth and their risk. A mix that’s too cautious may not grow enough; one that’s too aggressive close to retirement can expose you to a poorly timed downturn.

• Pressure-testing the assumptions. A robust plan is tested against less favourable scenarios — lower returns, higher inflation, a longer life — rather than a single optimistic path. If it holds up across a range, you can have more confidence in it.
• Building a contribution and investment plan. A projection becomes useful when it turns into specifics: how much to contribute, to which accounts, invested how, and in what order to draw on them later.
• Reviewing it as life changes. A plan isn’t a one-time exercise. Income, goals, markets, and tax rules all shift, so revisiting the numbers periodically — and after major life events — keeps it relevant.

Turn your projection into a plan

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