Retirement Planning Guides

Plain-English explanations of the numbers that matter most for your retirement.

Savings Goals

How Much Do I Need to Retire?

The 4% rule, the 25× benchmark, and how to calculate your personal retirement number.

Account Types

Roth IRA vs Traditional IRA: Which Is Better?

Tax-now vs tax-later — a side-by-side comparison with real numbers.

Social Security

Social Security at 62, 67, or 70: The Real Numbers

How much claiming early costs you — and when waiting pays off.

Withdrawal Strategy

The 4% Rule Explained

What it is, where it came from, and whether it holds up in today's market.

Benchmarks

How Much Should I Have Saved by 40, 50, and 60?

Age-based savings targets and what to do if you're behind.

Early Retirement

How to Retire Early: The FIRE Calculator Approach

What FIRE is, how to calculate your FIRE number, and the key risks.

Ready to run your own numbers?

RetireMap models your actual accounts — 401k, IRA, Roth, Social Security — all in one free tool.

Open the Free Calculator →