Planning fundamentals guides
Learn the key concepts with worked examples, sources and links to calculators.
What this topic covers
Retirement planning works best as a sequence rather than a single calculation. First define the life you are funding: essential spending, discretionary spending, one-off goals and a margin for the unexpected. Then build the foundations — an emergency fund, adequate insurance, and control of high-interest debt — before optimising investments.
Next, measure. Track net worth and savings rate, project the corpus forward with realistic inflation and returns, and compare it with a target that reflects your actual spending rather than a generic multiple of income. Only then choose a withdrawal strategy, because the right one depends on the size of the corpus, the length of retirement and how flexible your spending can be.
Finally, review on a schedule. A plan is a set of assumptions, and assumptions age. The planning guide walks through the decisions; the retirement planning calculator turns them into a year-by-year projection you can revisit.
Guides in this topic
How inflation changes your retirement plan
Inflation quietly erodes purchasing power. Even 3–4% inflation over 30 years cuts real value in half. Here's how to account for it.
How to read a retirement projection (and spot red flags)
A retirement projection shows one possible future. Learn to read the numbers, understand confidence levels, and avoid common traps.
Retirement planning basics: a practical starter guide
Start here if you're new to retirement planning. Learn the key numbers, order of operations, and how to build a robust plan.
The 4% rule vs your assumptions
The 4% rule is a useful benchmark, but it was derived from US history. Here's when it holds, when it breaks, and how to adapt it.