About the Early Retirement Calculator
Retiring before the traditional age means a bigger nest egg that lasts longer, plus a plan to bridge the years before penalty-free account access and Medicare. This calculator projects your savings to your target age and tells you whether they clear the bar.
How it’s calculated
Your current savings plus contributions grow at the expected return to the target age. The nest egg needed is annual expenses ÷ withdrawal rate. The difference is your projected surplus or shortfall.
Example calculation
A 40-year-old with $250,000 saving $40,000/year at 7% could reach about $940,000 by 55 — comfortably above a $1.375M... check your own numbers, as targets vary with expenses.
Frequently asked questions
What about health insurance and account access?
Before 65 you'll need to cover health insurance yourself, and tapping 401(k)/IRA funds before 59½ can trigger penalties (with some exceptions). Plan a taxable-account bridge for the early years.
How is this different from the FIRE calculator?
FIRE asks when you'll hit your number; this asks whether a specific target age works given your current trajectory.
Retirement projections are estimates based on the assumptions you enter and do not guarantee future outcomes. Contribution limits and tax rules change over time — verify current figures and consider speaking with a financial professional.