Plan your retirement with pension benefits, 403(b) plans, and supplemental savings. See how your teacher retirement system and personal savings work together.
Projected at 65
$2.8M
Required corpus
$1.1M
Status
On track
Most teachers participate in a defined benefit pension plan through their state. These pensions typically replace 50-80% of your final average salary after 25-30 years of service. However, pension rules vary significantly by state — vesting periods, benefit formulas, and cost-of-living adjustments all differ. Understanding your specific plan is the first step in retirement planning.
A 403(b) is the teacher's equivalent of a 401(k). You can contribute up to $23,000 per year (2024), plus an additional $7,500 if you're 50 or older. Teachers with 15+ years of service may qualify for an extra $3,000 annual catch-up contribution. These accounts supplement your pension and provide additional tax-advantaged growth.
Even with a pension, most teachers face a retirement income gap. Pensions may not keep up with inflation, and healthcare costs in retirement can be substantial. Use your 403(b), Roth IRA, and personal savings to fill this gap. A common target: ensure your pension plus supplemental savings replace at least 80% of your pre-retirement income.
Required corpus = Annual retirement expenses ÷ 0.04 (the 4% rule)
This calculator estimates your required retirement savings using the 4% safe withdrawal rate. It projects your current savings forward with compound growth from monthly contributions and investment returns, then compares the projection to your required corpus. The chart shows whether you're on track to meet your retirement goal.
A 30-year-old earning $6,000/month, contributing $2,500/month to retirement, with $30,000 already saved at 7% return: by age 65, the portfolio projects to approximately $3.8 million. If retirement expenses are $4,000/month ($48,000/year), the required corpus is $1.2 million — well on track. But if they wait until 40 to start with the same savings, they'd only reach about $1.5 million.
Adjust the retirement expenses slider to reflect your expected lifestyle — not just your current expenses. Healthcare costs typically increase significantly in retirement.
If the projection shows a gap, try increasing your monthly contribution by even $200. Small increases early have outsized impacts due to decades of compounding.
Don't forget Social Security income. While this calculator shows the full amount you need saved, Social Security may cover 20-40% of retirement expenses for many Americans.
Run this calculator annually as your income and savings change. The earlier you spot a shortfall, the easier it is to correct.
If you're behind, focus on the three levers: increase contributions, delay retirement by a few years, or reduce planned retirement expenses.