Retirement Pot Size Calculator
Pot needed for retirement income.
Calculate the retirement pot needed to generate a target annual income at a safe withdrawal rate. Educational tool — instant results from the numbers you enter.
What this tool does
Enter target annual retirement income and withdrawal rate. The tool shows pot needed.
Enter Values
Formula Used
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Disclaimer
Results are estimates for educational purposes only. They do not constitute financial advice. Consult a qualified professional before making financial decisions.
30,000 annual income at 4% safe withdrawal rate = 750,000 pot. Higher withdrawal rate (5%) needs smaller pot (600k) but carries higher failure risk. Safer 3% withdrawal needs 1m. Choose withdrawal rate based on retirement length and comfort with risk.
A worked example
Try the defaults: target annual income of 30,000, withdrawal rate of 4%. The tool returns 750,000.00. You can adjust any input and the result updates as you type — no submit button, no reload. That's the real power here: seeing how sensitive the output is to one or two assumptions.
What moves the number most
The result responds to Target Annual Income and Withdrawal Rate. The rate and the time horizon usually dominate — compounding means a small change in either reshapes the final figure more than a similar shift in contribution size. Test this by doubling one input at a time.
The formula behind this
Target income divided by withdrawal rate (Bengen 4% rule variant). Everything the calculator does is shown in the formula box below, so you can check the math against your own spreadsheet if you want.
Why the number matters
Saving without a target is like driving without a destination — you'll make progress, but you won't know when you've arrived. This tool gives you a concrete figure to work toward, which is the first step in turning a vague intention into an actual plan.
What this doesn't capture
The calculation assumes a steady savings rate and a stable interest rate. Real saving journeys include emergencies, windfalls, and rate changes — especially in easy-access products. The figure is a direction of travel, not a guarantee.
What to calculate alongside this
One figure by itself is fragile. The fire number calculator, the safe withdrawal rate calculator, and the bucket retirement strategy calculator cover adjacent ground — the answer to any one of them changes how you read the output from this tool. Worth a few minutes each, honestly.
Retirement pot produces a target figure based on the inputs provided.
Inputs
This example uses typical values for illustration. Adjust the inputs above to match a specific situation and see how the result changes.
Sources & Methodology
Methodology
Target income divided by withdrawal rate (Bengen 4% rule variant).
References
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 4% still safe?
Does this include pension income?
What inflation does this assume?
Emergency fund separately?
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