The “Napkin” Retirement Sketch
Quick math. Big picture. No false precision.
Current Age35
Retirement Age65
Current Savings$100k
Total in all accounts
Annual Savings$10k
Total you add each year
Target Monthly Spending$5k
Income goal in today’s dollars
Real Return5%
Estimated return after inflation
Withdrawal Rate
4.0%
Simple portfolio-income rule of thumb
Projected Nest Egg
—
—
Portfolio Income
—
Current Goal
—
Gap/Surplus
—
Not shown: Social Security, pensions, part-time work, rental income.
Most people have at least one of these — which is why a “short by” number is usually less scary than it looks at first.
Trade-offs to consider:
Disclaimer: Educational only. Does not include taxes, fees, Social Security rules, or real-world cash-flow timing. Results vary based on markets and behavior.