Retiring early increases the years your portfolio must fund. Retiring later often reduces the required target and increases compounding time.
Use the Retirement Calculator| Starting age | Years investing | Monthly needed at 7% |
|---|---|---|
| Age 25 | 40 years | ~$381/month |
| Age 30 | 35 years | ~$555/month |
| Age 35 | 30 years | ~$820/month |
| Age 40 | 25 years | ~$1,234/month |
| Age 45 | 20 years | ~$1,920/month |
| Age 50 | 15 years | ~$3,155/month |
| Years investing | Final balance at 7% |
|---|---|
| 40 years | ~$1,312,000 |
| 35 years | ~$901,000 |
| 30 years | ~$610,000 |
| 25 years | ~$405,000 |
| 20 years | ~$260,000 |
| 15 years | ~$158,000 |
The difference between starting to invest at 25 versus 50 is staggering — to reach $1,000,000 by age 65, a 25-year-old needs just $381 a month while a 50-year-old needs $3,155 a month, more than eight times as much for the same outcome. The second table tells the same story from the other direction — $500 a month invested for 40 years grows to $1,312,000, but the same $500 a month over just 15 years grows to only $158,000. Every decade you delay roughly halves your outcome for the same monthly contribution. The single most powerful financial decision most Australians can make is simply to start investing as early as possible, even with a small amount.
Run your plan at 55, 60, 65, and 70 to see how time changes the target.
Use both. 3% is conservative. 4% is a common guideline. Compare the range.
Not automatically. If you expect guaranteed income later, subtract it from what your portfolio must provide.
No — it’s a scenario model to help you plan. Real returns vary.
Lower spending, delay retirement, increase contributions, or plan a partial retirement approach.
Choose a conservative plan you can stick with, then increase contributions gradually.