Frequently Asked Questions

Yes — the full retirement projection, all 8 calculators, and all guide pages are completely free with no paywall. A free account is optional and only needed to save and reload your scenarios across sessions.

No account is needed to run projections — results appear instantly. Create a free account only if you want to save and reload your scenarios across different sessions or devices.

Your inputs are used only to generate your results and are never sold. Without an account, nothing is stored anywhere on our servers. With a free account, your saved scenario is stored securely and never sold or shared with third parties.

Most free calculators give you a single number. SmartRetireCalc gives you a year-by-year table with balances, taxes, RMDs, Roth conversions, and Social Security all modeled together — the same way a financial planner would analyze your retirement.

The engine uses a detailed year-by-year model with real federal tax brackets, IRS RMD tables, and correct Social Security benefit calculations. Results are educational estimates — real outcomes depend on market returns, tax law changes, and personal circumstances. See the Methodology page for full details.

Federal ordinary income brackets, long-term capital gains rates, 85% Social Security taxability threshold, Medicare IRMAA surcharge tiers, and Roth conversion income stacking. State taxes are not currently modeled.

Each row represents one year of retirement. Columns include portfolio balance, withdrawals, Roth conversion amount, taxes paid, RMD taken, Social Security income, and ending balance. A row where the balance reaches zero means you would outlive your savings under those assumptions. Adjust your inputs to find a sustainable plan.

Yes. You can set an annual inflation rate; the engine adjusts your spending needs and applies Social Security COLA year by year. The Inflation Calculator also shows the future purchasing power of any lump sum.

Yes. You enter your estimated Social Security benefit (in today's dollars, from your SSA.gov estimate for your chosen claiming age) and start age — the engine indexes it for inflation to the claiming year and incorporates it from then on. RMDs are automatically calculated at age 73 using the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table and deducted from your pre-tax accounts.

The right age depends on your health, other income, and risk tolerance. Claiming at 62 gives a reduced benefit (up to 30% less); waiting until 70 gives the maximum benefit (up to 32% more than full retirement age). See Social Security 62 vs. 67 vs. 70 for a full comparison, or use the SS Calculator to compare start-age scenarios side by side.

A Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) is the IRS-mandated minimum annual withdrawal from pre-tax retirement accounts (Traditional IRA, 401(k), 403(b), etc.) starting at age 73 under the SECURE 2.0 Act. Skipping or under-taking an RMD triggers a 25% excise tax on the missed amount. See the RMD Guide for more.

Yes. In the main planner you can set a yearly Roth conversion amount and the age range to apply it. The tax cost is computed each year and shown in the projection. The Roth Optimizer calculator helps you find the optimal conversion window and amount.

Yes. You can enter details for both spouses — different retirement ages, separate Social Security benefits, and individual life expectancies. The projection models the household as a single unit.

A safe withdrawal rate (SWR) is the percentage of your portfolio you can withdraw annually without running out of money over a given retirement horizon. The classic "4% Rule" suggests 4% is sustainable for a 30-year retirement. Higher inflation or a longer retirement may warrant a lower rate. Use the Safe Withdrawal Calculator to test scenarios.

Sequence risk is the danger that poor investment returns early in retirement — combined with ongoing withdrawals — can permanently deplete your portfolio even if the long-run average return is acceptable. It matters most in the first 5–10 years of retirement. The Sequence Risk Calculator lets you model early-crash scenarios.

Yes. The planner supports any retirement age you choose. For pre-59½ withdrawals from tax-deferred accounts, a 10% IRS early-withdrawal penalty applies — the engine accounts for this automatically in year-by-year tax calculations.