Help & Documentation
Everything you need — from your first steps to the detail behind the maths. Use the links below to jump to a section.
🚀 Quick Start — Your First Plan in Four Steps
1
Click "Start a New Plan" on the home screen. This takes you straight to the Setup tab with a blank plan ready to fill in.
2
Complete the Setup tab. Enter your current age, your target retirement age, how far ahead you want to plan (Horizon Age), and the currency you want results shown in. Set your inflation rate and choose a withdrawal method. Everything else can stay at its default for now.
3
Go to Assets & Income and add your accounts. Work through each section — retirement accounts, investment accounts, state pensions, any guaranteed pensions, rental income, and any expected lump sums. You don't need to be perfect — rough estimates give useful results. You can always come back and refine.
4
Open the Dashboard to see your retirement health at a glance. The four RAG (Red / Amber / Green) indicators show how your plan is performing. Then head to What-If Analysis and run the Monte Carlo simulation to see how your plan holds up across 5,000 different market scenarios.
💾 Save early, save often. Click Save in the menu bar, enter your email, and your plan is sent to you as an attachment. Download it to your computer — this is your backup. You can reload it any time using Open Existing Plan.
🎬 Video Guides
🎬
Coming Soon
Video walkthroughs are in production. They'll cover getting started, adding international accounts, reading the What-If Analysis, and modelling DB pensions and state pensions from different countries.
Getting Started — Basic Setup · ~8 min
Accounts in Multiple Countries · ~6 min
Understanding the What-If Analysis · ~10 min
DB Pensions & State Pensions · ~8 min
Withdrawal Strategy Explained · ~7 min
Using Scenarios to Compare Plans · ~5 min
1 · Setup Tab
The Setup tab defines the framework for your entire retirement projection. Get the key fields right here and everything else flows from them.
Core Settings
Current AgeYour age today. The calculator uses this to determine how many years your accounts have to grow before retirement.
Retirement AgeThe age at which you plan to stop working. Contributions to your accounts stop at this point and withdrawals begin. If you are already retired, enter your current age.
Horizon Age (Plan Until)How far out to model. This is NOT a prediction of when you will die — it is the age you want your money to last until. Most people use 85–95. The calculator tests whether your portfolio survives to this age.
Reporting CurrencyThe currency all results are displayed in. Accounts held in other currencies are converted using live exchange rates fetched when you open the calculator. If you live in the US, use USD; UK, use GBP, and so on.
Tax CountryWhere you will be tax-resident in retirement. This determines which tax bands are used to estimate income tax on your withdrawals. It does not have to match the currency of your accounts.
Inflation Rate %How fast prices rise each year, typically 2–3% in developed economies. This affects how much you need to spend in future years and how "Today's Money" pension values are inflated to their nominal future amounts. It does not affect how your investments grow — that is set separately per account.
Withdrawal Method — Choose One
Declining RateYou set a high starting withdrawal rate (e.g. 8%) and a low ending rate (e.g. 4%). The rate decays exponentially between them, matching the well-documented pattern of spending more in active early retirement ("Go-Go years") and progressively less as you slow down. Use the Half-Life setting to control how quickly the rate falls.
Income TargetYou specify an annual income you want to live on, in today's money. The calculator inflates it each year at your inflation rate, then subtracts any guaranteed income (state pension, DB pension, rental income) and draws the remainder from your portfolio. This answers: "Can I live on £40,000 per year in retirement?"
Fixed PercentageYou withdraw the same percentage of your portfolio every year (e.g. 4%). Income rises and falls with your portfolio — good years pay more, bad years pay less. The 4% rule is rooted in US academic research (the Trinity Study). Simple and widely used but does not reflect the natural pattern of spending less in later life.
Which method should I use? If you have a specific income need, use Income Target. If you want to model natural spending decline, use Declining Rate. If you just want a simple baseline, use Fixed Percentage at 4%. You can switch between methods at any time and results update instantly.
Minimum Spend Floor
Available with Declining Rate mode. This sets the bare minimum you would accept as annual income in retirement. Even if your portfolio performs poorly and the declining rate formula produces a very low figure, the calculator will always draw at least enough to meet this floor (from state pensions, other income, and portfolio if needed). Enter it in today's money — the calculator inflates it for future years.
Care Costs (Optional)
Enable Care CostsTurns on a care cost period in your projection. When enabled, additional costs are added for a number of years starting at the trigger age.
Annual Care CostThe yearly cost of care in today's money (residential care, nursing home fees, in-home care). A common benchmark in the UK is £40,000–£65,000/year for residential care; in the US it can be $80,000–$120,000+. Enter what is realistic for your situation and country.
Care Cost Growth %The annual rate at which care costs inflate. Care cost inflation consistently runs above general CPI — 5–6% is a reasonable default — because care is labour-intensive and specialist housing is in short supply.
Care Trigger AgeThe age at which care costs begin in your model. This is a planning assumption, not a prediction.
Care Duration (years)How many years the care period lasts. The UK average for residential care is around 2.5 years; using 4–5 years is more conservative and prudent.
Care Covers Living ExpensesIf your care facility covers meals, housing, and utilities — i.e. you are no longer maintaining a separate home — enable this toggle. It replaces your normal retirement spending during care years instead of adding to it. Without this, care costs are added on top of your regular income need, which significantly overstates the total cost if you are no longer running your own household.
2 · Assets & Income Tab
This is where you build the complete picture of your financial resources. There are seven sections — work through each one and add every account, pension, and income source you have. You can leave sections empty if they do not apply to you.
Investment & Savings Accounts
There are three account categories. The difference is important for tax purposes:
Retirement AccountsTax-advantaged accounts designed specifically for retirement — US 401(k), 403(b), Traditional IRA; UK SIPP; Canada RRSP; India NPS. Typically funded with pre-tax money, growth is tax-deferred, and withdrawals are taxed as income (EET tax regime).
Occupational / EmployerWorkplace savings schemes — US 403(b), employer-matched 401(k); Australia Superannuation; Hong Kong MPF. Add employer-matched accounts here. The tax regime varies by country and account type.
Other InvestmentsGeneral brokerage accounts, investment ISAs, taxable investment accounts, savings accounts, stocks & shares outside a wrapper. In many cases these are taxed on the way in but growth and withdrawals are tax-free (TEE) — e.g. UK ISA, Roth IRA. Or they may be standard taxable accounts. Set the tax regime to match your situation.
Which account type should I use for…
Roth IRA / ISA → Other Investments, TEE regime ·
Traditional IRA / 401(k) → Retirement Account, EET regime ·
India PPF/EPF → Other Investments, EEE regime ·
Canada TFSA → Other Investments, TEE regime ·
Singapore CPF (OA/SA) → Retirement Account, EET regime ·
Australia Super → Occupational, EET regime
Current ValueWhat the account is worth right now in its own currency.
Annual ContributionsHow much you add to this account each year between now and retirement. Contributions stop at your Retirement Age.
Expected Growth %The annual return you expect from this account, before inflation. A globally diversified equity fund historically returns 6–8% nominal. Fixed income / bonds typically 2–4%. Property-linked funds 4–6%. Be realistic — the calculator is only as good as your inputs.
Risk ProfileUsed in the What-If Monte Carlo analysis to determine how volatile returns are modelled. Conservative = low volatility, Aggressive = high volatility. Does not affect the main deterministic projection.
Minimum Draw AgeThe earliest age you can access this account without penalty. US 401(k) and IRA funds are penalised if drawn before 59½. UK SIPPs typically cannot be accessed before 55 (rising to 57). Set this so the calculator knows not to draw from this account too early.
Tax RegimeTEE = funded from taxed income, grows and withdraws tax-free (ISA, Roth IRA). EET = funded tax-free, grows tax-free, withdrawals taxed (401k, SIPP, RRSP). EEE = entirely exempt (UK ISA in some configurations, India PPF). Other = standard taxable account.
State Pensions
Add a state pension entry for each country where you have built up entitlement. If you have worked in multiple countries, you may have partial entitlements in each — add them separately.
CountrySelects the country's standard pension age and provides a default annual amount based on current legislation. You can override both.
Annual AmountThe pension you expect to receive, per year. If you do not know your exact entitlement, use the default for a full entitlement or reduce it proportionally (e.g. 30 qualifying years out of 35 required = 30/35 of the full amount).
Amount BasisToday's Money: enter what the pension would be worth in today's purchasing power — the calculator inflates it to a nominal future amount. Future Money: enter the actual future amount you will receive (e.g. if you have a formal pension forecast in future-money terms).
Draw AgeThe age at which you plan to start claiming. You can often defer your state pension to receive a higher weekly amount — deferring by a few years meaningfully increases the annual payment.
Annual Escalation %How much the pension increases once you are receiving it. The UK State Pension uses the triple lock (currently around 3%). US Social Security uses CPI-based COLA adjustments.
How do I find my state pension entitlement? UK residents: check the Government Gateway at gov.uk (search "Check your State Pension"). US residents: visit ssa.gov and use the "my Social Security" portal. Most countries have similar online tools.
Passive Income
Regular income that does not come from your portfolio — rental income, employment or consulting income you plan to continue into retirement, dividends paid outside your investment accounts. Each entry has a start age and end age so you can model income that only runs for part of your retirement.
Annual AmountIn today's money (Today's Money basis) or the actual future figure (Future Money basis).
Start / End AgeThe age range during which you receive this income. Rental income running indefinitely: set a high end age (e.g. your horizon age). Consulting income you plan to continue until 68: set end age to 68.
Lump Sum on EndOptional. If this income stream ends with a capital event — for example, selling the rental property when you stop letting it — enter the expected sale proceeds here. They are injected into your investment portfolio in the year the income ends.
Lump Sums
One-off capital events — an expected inheritance, a property sale, a business exit, a maturing bond. Enter the age at which you expect to receive the money and it is injected into your investment portfolio at that point.
Age at ReceiptThe age you expect to receive this amount. If this falls before your retirement age, the lump sum is rolled forward to retirement (growing at the lump sum's own growth rate) and added to your portfolio at retirement.
Amount BasisToday's Money grows the amount from now to receipt age at the growth rate you set. Future Money takes the amount as a fixed nominal figure — use this if you have a specific number in mind (e.g. a fixed-value inheritance).
Growth RateOnly applies to Today's Money basis. How the lump sum's real value grows between now and receipt — useful if, for example, you are modelling a property that you expect to appreciate at 3% per year.
↳ Defined Benefit Pensions & Annuities
Defined Benefit (DB) pensions — also known as final salary, career average, or guaranteed pension schemes — pay you a fixed income for life from a specific age. They are fundamentally different from investment accounts because the amount you receive does not depend on market performance. Annuities work similarly: you hand over a lump sum to an insurer who pays you a fixed income for life.
DB pensions are common in the public sector, many large private employers worldwide, and some government-sponsored occupational schemes (India EPFO, Netherlands ABP, Canada CPP top-ups). If you have one, it is one of the most valuable assets in your retirement plan and it is important to model it accurately.
TypeDB Scheme: a defined benefit pension where an Early Retirement Factor applies if you draw before the Normal Retirement Age. Annuity: a purchased income product — the amount is fixed regardless of when you draw it, so no ERF is applied.
Normal Retirement Age (NRA)The age at which the scheme pays its full advertised amount. This is set by your employer or pension scheme rules — often 60, 65, or 67. Check your pension statement.
Draw AgeThe age at which you actually plan to start receiving the pension. If this is earlier than the NRA, the Early Retirement Factor reduces the annual payment. If equal to or later than the NRA, the full amount is paid.
Annual Pension at NRAThe annual income the scheme would pay if you retired at the Normal Retirement Age. This figure should be on your pension statement — it may be expressed as a current-year estimate or a projected future amount. Choose the correct Amount Basis accordingly.
Amount BasisToday's Money: the figure on your statement reflects today's purchasing power (common for schemes that revalue accrued benefits in line with inflation). The calculator will inflate it to the nominal amount payable at draw age. Future Money: the figure is already in nominal terms — use this if your statement gives a projected pension at a specific future date.
Early Retirement Factor (ERF %)The percentage by which your pension is permanently reduced for each year you draw it before the NRA. A 4% ERF and 5 years early means a 20% reduction — you receive 80% of the NRA amount for life. ERF varies by scheme; check your scheme rules. Common values are 3–6% per year.
Annual Escalation %How much the pension increases each year once you are receiving it. Public sector schemes often escalate with CPI or RPI (typically 2–3%). Some private schemes pay a flat amount with no escalation. Enter 0 if the pension does not increase.
Commutation Lump SumMany DB schemes allow you to give up some annual pension in exchange for a tax-free lump sum at retirement (called commutation). If you intend to take this option, enter the lump sum amount here. It is added to your investment portfolio at your draw age, and the annual pension figure you have entered should already reflect the reduced post-commutation amount.
Survivor Benefit %The percentage of your pension that continues to a surviving spouse or partner after your death. This is informational at present — it helps you assess the total household income position — but does not affect the main projection (which models your plan only).
Example: You have a DB pension with an NRA of 65, paying £18,000/year at NRA in today's money (3% RPI escalation). You plan to retire at 62, and your scheme has an ERF of 4% per year. The calculator reduces the pension by 3 × 4% = 12%, giving an annual income of £15,840 (in today's purchasing power terms) starting at age 62, then inflated to nominal at that date, growing at 3% per year thereafter.
Don't have your DB pension statement? Contact your HR department or the scheme administrator. In the UK, you are legally entitled to a transfer value and benefit statement on request. In the US, contact your plan administrator for a Summary Plan Description (SPD).
3 · Strategy Tab — Withdrawal Order
When you retire, you will draw from multiple accounts in a particular order. The order matters significantly for tax efficiency — the calculator lets you choose how to sequence withdrawals.
Recommended (default)The calculator draws from accounts in a sensible tax-efficiency order: fully tax-exempt accounts first (TEE — e.g. Roth IRA, ISA — since you have already paid tax and growth is permanently sheltered), then general taxable accounts, then tax-deferred accounts last (EET — e.g. 401(k), SIPP — because withdrawals are taxed as income). This approach maximises the time tax-advantaged accounts continue growing.
CustomYou set the exact draw-down priority for each account. Assign priority numbers (1 = first to be drawn). Use this if you have specific tax planning requirements — for example, drawing from a traditional IRA before a taxable account to smooth your tax bracket, or drawing from accounts in different countries in a particular order for treaty reasons.
Tax regimes explained:
TEE Tax on entry, exempt on growth and withdrawal — Roth IRA, UK ISA, Canada TFSA
EET Exempt on entry and growth, taxed on withdrawal — US 401(k)/IRA, UK SIPP, Canada RRSP, Australia Super
EEE Fully exempt — India PPF/EPF, some UK ISA configurations
Other Standard taxable brokerage — gains may be subject to capital gains tax (not modelled in detail)
Strategy affects your net income, not your gross income. Whatever order you choose, the total gross income stays the same — what changes is how much tax is estimated. If you are in the UK drawing from an ISA first, the tax estimate goes down significantly compared to drawing from a SIPP first.
4 · What-If Analysis — Monte Carlo Simulation
The main projection (Year-by-Year table and Dashboard) uses a single, deterministic growth rate for each account — a straight line. Reality is not a straight line. Markets rise and fall year to year, and the timing of those rises and falls has a profound effect on how long your portfolio lasts.
The What-If Analysis addresses this by running 5,000 different market scenarios. In each scenario, annual returns are varied randomly — some years are great, some are terrible, in a different order each time. The result is a probability: "Your plan succeeds in 84% of scenarios." That is a far more honest picture than any single projection.
Quick Run (500)Runs 500 scenarios in around one second. Good for quick what-if checks while you are adjusting inputs. The result is a reasonable estimate but has more statistical noise than the full run.
Full Run (5,000)Runs 5,000 scenarios for a statistically robust result. Takes a few seconds. Use this when you want a reliable probability figure to evaluate your plan. The Dashboard's Monte Carlo RAG indicator uses this figure.
Success RateThe percentage of 5,000 scenarios where your portfolio does not run out before your horizon age. Green 85% or above — robust plan. Amber 70–84% — reasonable but could be improved. Red below 70% — meaningful risk of running short. Note: 100% success is not achievable or necessary — some scenarios will always have extreme outcomes.
Reading the Charts
Portfolio OutcomesThe shaded fan shows the range of portfolio balances across all scenarios. The dark centre band is the median (50th percentile). The outer bands show the 10th–90th percentile range. Wide bands mean high sensitivity to market timing — your outcome varies a lot depending on when good and bad years hit.
Income DistributionHow your annual income is distributed across scenarios. In Declining Rate and Fixed % mode, income varies with the portfolio — higher in good scenarios, lower in bad ones. In Income Target mode, income is fixed but scenarios where the portfolio is exhausted show as zero or reduced income.
Failure AgesIn scenarios where the portfolio runs out, this chart shows at what age it happened. A concentration of failures at older ages (85+) is much less concerning than failures in your late 60s or early 70s.
Early Market CrashSimulates retiring into a 30% market crash in year one, then recovering at the normal rate. This is the "sequence of returns risk" — the greatest threat to a retirement portfolio is a crash in the first few years when the portfolio is at its largest and you have no time to recover. This chart shows how your plan holds up under that specific stress scenario.
How to improve your Monte Carlo score: Delay retirement by 1–2 years (biggest single lever), reduce your income target, add any passive or guaranteed income (rental income, DB pension, or deferring your state pension significantly improve the score because they reduce portfolio dependence), or increase account contributions now.
5 · Year-by-Year Results Tab
A detailed table showing every year of your retirement projection, from retirement age to horizon age. This is where you see exactly what the model predicts year by year.
Future Money / Today's MoneyUse the toggle buttons above the table to switch views. Future Money shows the actual nominal amounts you will receive — what your bank account will show. Today's Money adjusts every figure for inflation to show purchasing power equivalent to today's prices. Today's Money makes it easier to relate future amounts to your current cost of living.
PhaseAccumulation Years before retirement. Go-Go Active early retirement — higher spending, higher withdrawal rate. Slow-Go Mid retirement — moderate spending. No-Go Later years — lower activity, lower spending (or flat income in Income Target mode). Care Care cost years.
State PensionTotal state pension income from all countries in that year, in your reporting currency.
DB IncomeTotal guaranteed income from all DB pension and annuity entries in that year.
Investment DrawdownThe amount drawn from your investment portfolio in that year. This is what depletes your pot. A lower figure here (offset by pension and other guaranteed income) means your portfolio lasts longer.
Passive / OtherRental income, employment income, or other regular income in that year.
Care CostThe care cost in that year if care is enabled and the trigger age has been reached, grown at your care inflation rate.
Gross IncomeTotal of all income sources: state pension + DB income + investment drawdown + passive income. Care costs are not subtracted here — they are funded from this gross income.
Est. TaxEstimated income tax for that year using simplified tax bands for your tax country. Treat this as a guide, not a precise figure.
Net IncomeWhat you actually have to spend: gross income minus estimated tax, minus care costs.
Portfolio BalanceYour total investment pot at the end of that year, after growth and after drawdown. When this reaches zero, the portfolio is exhausted. Rows where this happens are highlighted in red.
Look for red-highlighted rows. They indicate years where your portfolio is exhausted and you can no longer draw the income the model requires. If you see these appearing during your expected lifetime, your plan needs attention — either reduce spending, delay retirement, or add more assets.
6 · Dashboard Tab
The Dashboard gives you a one-page health check on your retirement plan. Four RAG (Red / Amber / Green) indicators tell you at a glance where your plan stands, plus key metrics and a chart of income and portfolio balance over time.
GreenAmberRed Portfolio LongevityDoes your investment portfolio last to your horizon age? Green = lasts to or beyond horizon. Amber = runs out within 5 years of horizon (close call). Red = exhausted well before horizon. This is the most fundamental indicator.
GreenAmberRed Withdrawal RateThe percentage of your total portfolio being withdrawn in Year 1. Green = below 6% (sustainable long-term). Amber = 6–10% (elevated, portfolio will deplete faster). Red = above 10% (very high, unsustainable for most portfolio compositions). The widely-cited "4% rule" falls comfortably in the green zone.
GreenAmberRed Care Period FundedCan your portfolio cover your projected care costs? Green = fully funded. Amber = partially funded. Red = unfunded (portfolio is exhausted before or during the care period). Only active when care is enabled in Setup.
GreenAmberRed What-If Success RateThe Monte Carlo result from your last What-If Analysis run. Green = 85%+ of scenarios succeed. Amber = 70–84%. Red = below 70%. This indicator shows "Run What-If Analysis" until you have run the simulation — click through to Tab 4 to run it.
Key Metrics Cards
Year 1 IncomeYour total gross income in the first year of retirement, shown in Future Money (actual nominal amount).
In Today's MoneyThe same Year 1 income expressed in today's purchasing power — more intuitive for comparing to your current cost of living.
Total Portfolio at RetirementThe projected total value of all your investment accounts the day you retire, in your reporting currency. This is the pot your drawdown strategy works from.
Est. InheritanceThe projected remaining portfolio balance at your horizon age — the amount left over (in today's money) if your plan runs to the end. This is a planning estimate only, not a bequest forecast.
The Dashboard updates instantly. Go back and change any input on Setup or Assets & Income and the Dashboard reflects the new numbers immediately. Use this to quickly test the impact of: retiring one year later, reducing your income target by £5,000, or adding a rental income stream.
Scenarios Tab — Compare Two Plans Side by Side
The Scenarios tab lets you run two retirement plans simultaneously and compare them side by side. Both scenarios use your base plan as a starting point, then apply overrides to specific fields. The rest of your data (accounts, pensions, income) stays the same — only the overridden fields change.
This is the most powerful feature in the calculator for answering questions like:
Retire at 60 vs retire at 65 — how much does 5 years make?
Retire in Portugal vs UK — how does cost of living affect longevity?
£35,000/year vs £45,000/year — can I afford the upgrade?
Deferring state pension by 3 years — is the higher payout worth it?
Tip: Set Scenario A to your current plan and Scenario B to your "stretch" goal. The side-by-side comparison immediately shows the cost in portfolio longevity and Year 1 income. If Scenario B is still green, go for it.
⚙ How the Maths Works
Understanding what the calculator assumes helps you judge where it might be optimistic or conservative for your situation.
Investment growthEach account grows at the expected growth rate you set, applied once per year as a flat annual rate. Growth is compounded — the same percentage of a larger balance each year. Contributions are added at the start of each year during the accumulation phase, then stop at retirement.
InflationApplied separately from investment growth. Inflation increases your spending requirement each year. It also inflates Today's Money pension and income values to nominal future amounts. Investment returns are not adjusted for inflation in the main projection — your growth rate is nominal (i.e. it already includes the inflation component, as most quoted investment returns are).
State pensionsIf you enter a Today's Money amount, it is inflated from your current age to draw age at the general inflation rate, then escalated annually at the pension growth rate once in payment. Future Money amounts are taken as-entered and escalated from draw age.
DB pensionsThe Normal Retirement Age amount is reduced by ERF × years early if drawn before NRA. Today's Money amounts are inflated to nominal at draw age. The resulting income is then escalated annually at the escalation rate you set. Commutation lump sums are injected into the portfolio at draw age.
Withdrawal sequencingIn Recommended mode, TEE (tax-free) accounts are drawn first, then Other/taxable, then EET (tax-deferred). Within each tier, accounts are used in the order they were added. Accounts with a Minimum Draw Age are skipped until that age is reached. A spillover pot handles any lump sums when no investment accounts exist.
Tax estimationA simplified single-jurisdiction income tax calculation using the tax bands for your selected Tax Country. EET withdrawals (401k, SIPP, etc.) count as fully taxable income. TEE withdrawals (ISA, Roth) are tax-free. This is a planning estimate — actual tax depends on many factors not modelled here.
Currency conversionExchange rates are fetched at startup from the European Central Bank via frankfurter.app. All amounts in non-reporting currencies are converted at these rates and held fixed for the entire session. Currency movements over the projection period are not modelled.
Monte Carlo returnsEach scenario draws annual returns from a normal distribution centred on your expected growth rate, with a standard deviation derived from the risk profile you set (Conservative ~8%, Balanced ~12%, Growth ~16%, Aggressive ~20%). Returns are independent year to year — serial correlation is not modelled. Inflation is held constant across scenarios.
Care costsApplied as an additional annual cost during the care period, inflated at the care cost growth rate. Care withdrawals from EET accounts are taxable. If "Care covers living expenses" is enabled, care costs replace the regular spending demand rather than adding to it.
⚠ Limitations — What This Calculator Cannot Do
Being honest about the limits of the model makes the results you can trust more meaningful.
No means testingSome countries reduce or withdraw state pension entitlements if you have other income above a threshold. This is not modelled — if means testing applies to your situation, manually reduce the state pension amount you enter.
Simplified income tax onlyOnly income tax against the tax bands for your country is estimated. Capital gains tax, dividend tax, wealth tax, inheritance tax, National Insurance / Social Security contributions, and country-specific allowances or reliefs are not included. For a full tax picture, work with a qualified adviser.
No cross-border tax treatiesIf you have pension income from one country while tax-resident in another, bilateral tax treaties govern which country taxes what. These rules are complex and scheme-specific. They are not modelled — the calculator applies the tax bands of your single selected Tax Country.
Fixed exchange ratesExchange rates are set once at the start of your session. Over a 30-year retirement, currencies can move dramatically. If you have significant income in a foreign currency (e.g. a UK state pension drawing in GBP while you live in the US), this introduces real uncertainty that the model does not capture.
No serial correlation in returnsThe Monte Carlo engine draws each year's return independently. Real markets exhibit momentum and mean reversion — but these effects are difficult to parameterise and the independent model is standard practice for retirement planning tools.
No dynamic portfolio rebalancingEach account grows at its own fixed rate throughout. Real investors typically rebalance — shifting to more conservative allocations as they approach and enter retirement. If you plan to de-risk, adjust your growth rates manually for accounts as an approximation.
Care costs post-tax onlyCare costs are paid from after-tax income. In some jurisdictions, care costs may be partially tax-deductible or qualify for specific reliefs. These are not reflected in the model.
No survivor modellingThe projection covers a single individual's plan. Survivor benefits (the percentage of a DB pension that continues to a spouse) are recorded but do not feed into the main projection. For couples, run separate plans and combine the picture manually.
This is not financial advice. The Global Retirement Calculator is a planning and exploration tool. All projections are estimates that will differ from actual outcomes. Please consult a qualified, independent financial adviser — ideally one experienced with your specific countries of residence and asset location — before making material retirement decisions.
💾 Saving, Printing & Coming Back to Your Plan
Auto-save (this session)
As you work, your plan is continuously saved to your browser's local storage. If you accidentally close the tab, your work will be restored automatically next time you open the calculator. This is temporary storage — it can be cleared if you clear your browser data, use a private/incognito window, or switch browsers or devices. Do not rely on it as your only copy.
Saving your plan (permanent backup)
1
Click Save in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
2
Enter your email address and click Email my plan. Your plan is sent to your inbox as an attachment (a .txt file — named something like RetirementPlan_Michael_2026-05-28.txt).
3
Download and save the attachment to your computer, an external drive, or cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive). Keep it somewhere you can find it. This file contains everything — all your account data, projections, and settings.
The attachment is a plain text file containing your plan data. It is not a PDF — it is a machine-readable file that the calculator uses to restore your exact plan. Keep it safe. It contains your financial details.
Coming back to your plan
2
Click Open Existing Plan on the home screen.
3
Find and select the .txt or .json file you saved. Your plan loads instantly — all accounts, settings, and projections restored exactly as you left them.
Printing & Saving as PDF
The 🖨 Print button in the menu bar (next to Save) generates a formatted print view of your full retirement plan, which you can save as a PDF using your browser's built-in print-to-PDF feature. It is greyed out by default.
To unlock it: send your plan via the Save modal, then click the link in the email you receive. This confirms your email address was genuine and unlocks the Print button in the menu bar. The unlock lasts for the current calendar day — if you come back the next day, simply email your plan again to re-unlock.
When printing, use your browser's print dialog and choose "Save as PDF" as the destination. Select Landscape orientation for the best layout. The print view includes the Dashboard, Year-by-Year table, and What-If charts if you have run them.
📋 Version & Data Sources
Calculator versionv1.6 — released May 2026
State pension dataCoverage for 49 countries. Data is based on official government sources current as of early 2026. Pension rules change frequently — always verify your entitlement directly with the relevant government body.
Tax bandsSimplified income tax bands for supported countries, based on 2025/26 rates. Used for estimation only. Consult a tax adviser for accurate figures.
Exchange ratesSourced from the European Central Bank daily feed via frankfurter.app. Rates are loaded when you open the calculator and held fixed for your session.
Monte Carlo engineIndependent normally-distributed annual returns, parameterised by risk profile. 5,000 scenarios per full run. Results may vary slightly between runs due to random sampling.
PrivacyYour financial data is never stored on RetireFlexi servers. When you email your plan, the data goes directly to your own inbox. RetireFlexi handles the sending but cannot access the contents.
Not financial advice. RetireFlexi is a personal planning tool for exploration and scenario modelling. All projections are estimates based on the assumptions you set. Actual outcomes will differ. Nothing on this site constitutes financial, tax, or investment advice. Please consult a qualified independent financial adviser before making retirement decisions.