2 guides
Retirement
Building the balance and then drawing it down. Covers the employer match, which is the highest guaranteed return most people will ever be offered, and the withdrawal rules that determine whether the resulting portfolio lasts, including what inflation does to a withdrawal over thirty years.
April 24, 2026 · 7 min read
The Employer Match Is a 50% Return and a Third of Your Retirement
On a $70,000 salary, a standard 50% match on the first 6% contributes $175 a month you did not earn. Over thirty years that becomes $213,494, and skipping it for five early years costs $71,732.
April 10, 2026 · 9 min readThe 4% Rule Means Your Year-30 Withdrawal Is $94,262, Not $40,000
The rule is not a flat 4% of your balance each year. It is 4% in year one, then that same amount adjusted upward for inflation forever, which is a far more demanding commitment than the headline suggests.
Calculators for retirement
401(k) CalculatorProject your 401(k) balance at retirement including the employer match, and see how much of the final balance the match contributes.Retirement CalculatorProject your nest egg at retirement from current savings and monthly contributions, and estimate the income it could sustainably provide.Annuity Payout CalculatorCalculate the monthly income a lump sum can provide over a fixed payout period.RMD CalculatorCalculate your required minimum distribution from a retirement account using the IRS life-expectancy table.