How much do I need to retire?

Name the monthly income you want in retirement — R25,000 a month, say — and see the capital it takes to fund it, whether your savings are on track to get there, and what to put away each month if they're not.

Your details

Adjust any field — results update instantly. Figures are in today's rands.

Your age

years

18 years70 years

Target retirement age

years

55 years75 years

Annual gross income

R100 000R3 000 000

Monthly equivalent: R50 000

Current retirement savings (balance)

R0R10 000 000

Total across your pension fund, provident fund, RA, and any preservation funds.

Current monthly contributions

R0/moR50 000/mo

Your contribution plus any employer match.

Desired monthly retirement income (in today's rands)

R5 000/moR200 000/mo

What that amount buys today — not what you think you'll need in future rands. It's 50% of your current gross income.

Expected real return5%

2%10%

Real return (after inflation). For example, 5% here ≈ 10–11% nominal at typical SA inflation. Balanced funds typically return 4–6% real over the long term.

Your results

All figures in today's money

Your projected funding

45% funded

On track for

R11 301/mo

You want

R25 000/mo

Shortfall

R13 699/mo

Projected capital at retirement

R3.39m

in today's money

Capital required

R7.50m

to fund R25 000/mo

Gap

R4.11m

shortfall in capital

Suggested contribution

R7 938/mo

R4 938/mo more than now

Your current savings rate covers less than half of your target retirement income. This is common in South Africa. Even small, early increases in monthly contributions make a large difference over 30 years.

Prefer to think in % of income? Use the savings gap tool →See how much extra contribution actually costs after RA tax relief →

A projection, not financial advice. Uses a 4% sustainable drawdown rate and real (inflation-adjusted) returns. Speak to a qualified financial adviser before making decisions.

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Turning an income into a number

A monthly income target becomes a capital target through the drawdown rate — the share of a pot you can take each year without running it dry. At 4%, every R1,000/mo you want in retirement needs roughly R300 000 saved. The 4% figure is a widely used rule of thumb, not a guarantee: markets, fees and how long you live all move it.

Everything here is in today's money

Enter the income you want in today's rands — what R25,000 buys now, not what you guess it might buy in thirty years. Inflation is already stripped out of both sides: your savings grow at a real (after-inflation) return, and your target stays in today's terms. So the figures compare like with like, and you never have to guess at a future price level.

Closing the gap

If there's a shortfall, the suggested contribution shows what it would take to reach your target by your retirement age. The earlier you start, the smaller that number — compound growth does most of the work over time.

Related tools

RA tax benefit calculator →

What an RA contribution costs after tax relief

Retirement savings gap →

Prefer to think in % of income? Check there instead

A projection for planning only, not financial advice. Estimates use a 4% sustainable drawdown rate and real (inflation-adjusted) returns — speak to a qualified financial adviser before making decisions.