Retirement Planning Tools
Use a monthly budget calculator, income gap calculator, emergency fund estimator, checklists, and retirement guides.
Use Free Planning Tools
Retirement money guidance for adults over 60
Retirement Income & Savings
Explore retirement income, Social Security, pensions, savings, monthly budgets, healthcare costs, benefits, and practical ways to make retirement money last longer.
✓ Retirement income guides
✓ Savings and budget help
✓ Free planning tools
Start with your numbers
Turn retirement questions into a practical plan
Retirement income may come from several places, while expenses can change over time. Use the planning tools to compare income and costs, then return here for guides covering savings, benefits, healthcare, housing, and fixed-income living.
Featured retirement resources
Begin with the tools and guides people use most
These resources can help you organize retirement income, compare expenses, identify possible shortfalls, and track important planning tasks.
Retirement Planning Checklist
Track income, Social Security, Medicare, housing, documents, emergencies, benefits, and future planning.
Open the ChecklistAverage Retirement Income
Review common retirement income sources and compare how household income can vary across retirement.
View Retirement Income Guide
Retirement income sources
Understand where retirement income may come from
Many households rely on a combination of Social Security, pensions, savings, investments, part-time work, benefits, and other dependable income.
Social Security Income
Review Social Security planning, expected monthly benefits, timing considerations, documents, and household income questions.
Browse Social Security HelpPensions and Dependable Income
Organize pension payments, annuity income, rental income, part-time work, and other regular retirement income sources.
Compare Retirement IncomeSavings and Investment Withdrawals
Consider how monthly withdrawals, emergency savings, investment income, and irregular expenses may affect your plan.
Review Savings Tools
Savings and spending
Make retirement savings support everyday life
A workable plan needs room for regular bills, irregular costs, emergencies, inflation, home repairs, healthcare, travel, and changes in family responsibilities.
Monthly Retirement Budget
Compare monthly income and expenses to estimate how much may remain after regular retirement costs.
Use Budget CalculatorEmergency Savings
Estimate a savings target for essential expenses, repairs, insurance deductibles, healthcare, and unexpected costs.
Estimate Emergency FundSenior Discounts and Savings
Find discounts, seasonal offers, everyday savings, and nearby businesses that may provide senior pricing.
Find Senior Discounts
Benefits, Medicare, and housing
Plan for major retirement expenses and support
Healthcare, insurance, housing, taxes, transportation, and support services can significantly affect the amount of income a household needs.
Medicare and Healthcare Costs
Review Medicare planning, premiums, coverage questions, healthcare costs, and medical needs that may affect retirement.
Explore Medicare PlanningHousing and Home Expenses
Consider mortgage or rent, taxes, utilities, maintenance, accessibility, downsizing, and home safety improvements.
Plan for Home CostsDocuments and Future Planning
Organize benefits, accounts, contacts, document locations, executor instructions, and future wishes.
Organize Future Planning
Retirement income reality checks
What can different monthly incomes cover?
Housing, healthcare, debt, transportation, food, taxes, and location can make the same monthly income feel very different from one household to another.
U.S.
Average Retirement Income
Review common sources of retirement income and national household income comparisons.
View Income Breakdown$3,000
Is $3,000 a Month Enough?
Explore what a $3,000 monthly retirement budget may cover.
Read the $3,000 Guide$2,500
Is $2,500 a Month Enough?
See how housing, healthcare, debt, and location affect this budget.
Read the $2,500 Guide$2,000
Is $2,000 a Month Enough?
Review the tradeoffs and pressure points of a lower monthly budget.
Read the $2,000 Guide
A practical planning process
Review retirement income in four manageable steps
Retirement planning becomes easier when you separate income, expenses, risks, and documents instead of trying to solve every decision at once.
1
List dependable income
Record Social Security, pensions, benefits, regular work, rental income, and other dependable monthly amounts.
2
Estimate monthly expenses
Include housing, utilities, food, transportation, insurance, healthcare, debt, personal costs, and family support.
3
Allow for irregular costs
Plan for repairs, deductibles, travel, taxes, gifts, emergencies, home needs, and changing healthcare expenses.
4
Review the plan regularly
Update estimates when income, housing, benefits, healthcare, insurance, debt, or family responsibilities change.
Important retirement income note
These guides and tools provide general educational information. They do not account for every tax, investment return, inflation change, benefit rule, insurance cost, debt, long-term care need, or household circumstance. Review major financial, legal, tax, insurance, benefits, and healthcare decisions with an appropriately qualified professional.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as retirement income?
Retirement income may include Social Security, pensions, annuities, savings withdrawals, investment income, rental income, employment income, veterans benefits, and other dependable household income.
How much monthly income is enough for retirement?
The amount depends on housing, healthcare, debt, taxes, transportation, location, family responsibilities, lifestyle, and access to savings. A monthly budget comparison is more useful than relying on one national number.
How should savings be included in a retirement budget?
Savings withdrawals can be treated as one income source, but the withdrawal amount should also be reviewed for taxes, investment risk, inflation, and how long the savings may need to last.
What expenses are often forgotten in retirement planning?
Commonly overlooked costs include home repairs, insurance deductibles, dental and vision care, travel, gifts, family assistance, vehicle replacement, taxes, long-term care, and inflation.
Where should I begin if retirement finances feel overwhelming?
Begin with the Retirement Planning Checklist, then use the monthly budget calculator to compare dependable income with regular expenses. Review one topic at a time instead of trying to complete the entire plan in one sitting.
Can these resources replace professional financial advice?
No. They are general educational resources. Complex tax, investment, legal, insurance, benefits, and healthcare decisions may require help from an appropriately qualified professional.