Can you afford to retire?
Answer a short survey. We'll run 10,000 simulated retirements through your numbers and show you the odds your money lasts. The simulation accounts for market crashes, healthcare costs before Medicare, Social Security, home equity, and inflation.
Takes about 5 minutes · No signup · Nothing stored ·
How it works
Tell us about your money
Savings balances, contributions, expenses, Social Security, healthcare. Most people finish in 5 minutes.
We simulate 10,000 retirements
Each one rolls your plan through a different market sequence. This is called a Monte Carlo simulation. Instead of one optimistic projection, you see the full range of outcomes across thousands of plausible futures.
See where you stand
Your success rate, year-by-year balance, and how the numbers shift if you retire earlier or later.
What we account for
Monte Carlo Simulation
10,000 randomized market scenarios show the full range of outcomes, not just averages.
Healthcare Bridge to Medicare
Models the cost of health insurance from retirement until Medicare kicks in at 65.
Rule of 55 & 457b
Properly accounts for early withdrawal rules that matter when retiring before 59½.
Spending Phases
Models go-go, slow-go, and no-go spending phases as retirees naturally spend less over time.
Home Equity
Models downsizing or selling your home as a portfolio boost, with real estate rental income support.
Multiple Scenarios
Compare retiring at 50, 55, 60, or 65 side-by-side to find your optimal date.
Common questions
Is RetireWise really free?
Yes. There is no signup, no paywall, no upsell. The full simulation runs in your browser session and clears when you close the tab. We don't collect or store your information.
Do you save my information?
No personal data is stored. Simulations run in-memory and clear when your browser session ends. You can optionally export your simulation as a JSON file you keep on your own device.
How accurate is a retirement Monte Carlo simulation?
A Monte Carlo simulation runs 10,000 versions of your retirement using your inputs against historically-plausible market behavior. It's far more honest than a single-projection calculator because it shows the full range of outcomes, including bad-luck scenarios. That said, it's still a model. Real markets, taxes, and life events will differ. Treat the success rate as a directional guide, not a guarantee.
Should I trust this instead of a financial advisor?
RetireWise is a planning tool, not a substitute for personalized advice. A good advisor accounts for taxes, estate planning, healthcare, and behavior in ways a calculator cannot. Use this to pressure-test ideas before an advisor conversation, or alongside one.
Trying to figure out something specific?
- Can I retire at 55? (Rule of 55, healthcare bridge, the 10-year Social Security gap)
- Can I retire at 60? (5-year healthcare bridge, Social Security timing)
- How does the Rule of 55 work? (qualifying accounts, common traps, 457(b) bonus)
- How do I plan for healthcare before Medicare? (ACA marketplace, COBRA, spousal coverage)
Learn the concepts
Plain-English explainers of what's actually going on under the hood.