Retirement Planning Guides
Simple retirement guides to help you understand how much you may need, how withdrawal rules work, and how inflation, timing, and spending can shape your plan.
How Much Do I Need to Retire?
A simple guide to estimating how much you may need for retirement using the 25x rule.
What Is the 4 Percent Rule?
Learn how the 4 percent rule works, what it means, and why many people use it as a retirement starting point.
How Long Will $1 Million Last in Retirement?
See how spending, inflation, returns, and withdrawal strategy can change how long $1 million may last.
How Much Do You Need to Retire at 60?
A simple guide to estimating retirement savings needs if your goal is to retire at age 60.
How Much Do You Need to Retire Early?
See how retiring early changes your savings target and why a longer retirement usually needs a bigger cushion.
Traditional IRA vs Roth IRA
The key differences, how taxes work, and why the type of account matters when you withdraw.
401(k) vs IRA
How they compare, how employer matching works, and common reasons people use both.
Pre-tax vs Roth 401(k)
Learn the difference between paying taxes now or later on 401(k) contributions.
What Is a Withdrawal Rate?
Understand how withdrawal rates are calculated and why they matter in retirement planning.
What Is a Safe Withdrawal Rate?
Learn what people mean by a safe withdrawal rate and why flexibility matters more than one fixed number.
How Long Does Retirement Usually Last?
Why many retirement plans assume a longer timeline than people first expect.
What Happens If You Retire Early or Late?
See how retirement timing can affect savings targets, withdrawal pressure, and long-term planning.
Inflation and Buying Power
Understand why the same dollar amount may not buy the same lifestyle later in retirement.
How to use these retirement guides
These retirement planning guides are designed to explain common retirement topics in plain language. They work best when used alongside the calculators on this site, so you can read about a concept and then test your own numbers.
For example, you might start with the 25x rule or the 4 percent rule, then use the withdrawal, inflation, or longevity calculators to see how different assumptions affect your plan.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with how much you may need to retire, then move into withdrawal rates, inflation, and how long retirement may last. Those ideas shape most retirement plans.
Related Guides
- How much do you need to retire at 55?
- How much do you need to retire at 45?
- Can you retire with $500,000?
More Learn topics will be added over time.