All-In-One Retirement Calculator
Step 1: Compiling Your Expenses, Savings and Income Information

The All-In-One Retirement calculator, developed by Richard Howard of buyupside.com, is an easy-to-use tool to help with your retirement financial planning. All you have to do is supply the calculator with:

• Dollar amount of your current annual expenses.
• How much money you have accumulated toward your retirement.
• Your expected annual income during retirement.
• How many years you have left before you retire.

The calculator has built in assumptions about inflation rates, rate of return on your savings and investments, as well as other key factors. It will tell you:

• How much money you must accumulate by year one of your retirement.
• How much you have to save each month before you retire.
• How long your money will last after you retire.

Compiling Your Expenses, Savings and Income Information

To begin you need to summarize your current expenses, current savings and investments and estimates of your retirement income from pensions, Social Security and other sources. These numbers will determine how much money that you must accumulate before you retire. Use the accompanying worksheet (.xls) to compile a complete and accurate list of this information

What Are Your Annual Expenses?

Estimate the expenses that you currently incur during one year. This estimate is very important because it indicates how much money you are likely to spend when you retire. The list should include regular monthly expenses such as mortgage payment or rent, real estate taxes, utilities, food, car expenses, entertainment, medical insurance, credit card and loan payments, etc. The worksheet lists the most common expenses plus room for special ones.

Exclude those current expenses that you will no longer incur when you retire. For example, perhaps you will have paid off your house mortgage and student loans by that time.

How Much Have You Already Saved for Retirement?

Include the current balances of all retirement, saving and brokerage accounts. Also, include the current value of cash, stocks, bonds and other investments held outside those accounts. Do not include the value of your primary residence.

The calculator assumes that your investments and savings will increase each year at six percent until you retire.

How Much Is Your Fixed Annual Income During Retirement?

Fixed incomes include pensions from one or more employers and annuities that pay a fixed amount at a regular interval. Also, include any other sources of regular fixed income. Do not include Social Security benefits in this category.

How Much Is Your Variable Annual Income During Retirement?

Compute the sum of all income that you expect to receive during your first year of retirement from sources that will vary from year to year such as dividends, interest, capital gains from investments, rental income, etc.

If you are eligible to receive Social Security, find out your estimated annual benefit when you retire. You can get an estimate from Social Security.

How Many Years Until You Retire?

The calculator needs to know how many years left before you retire. If you have not determined a firm retirement date, run the calculator using a near and far date.

Proceed to the Calculator

After you have compiled and your expenses, savings and income data, go to the All-In-One Retirement Calculator: Computing Nest Egg Size and Monthly Saving Amount.

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