Retire at 55? The real cost may surprise you
Oct 01, 2025 9:34 am
Hi ,
If you want $4,000/month in today’s dollars for retirement…
Here’s how much you’ll actually need, depending on when you retire (assuming 3% inflation):
Shocking, right?
Even though retiring later means fewer years to fund, inflation makes the income you need higher.
That’s why no matter when you plan to retire, you’re still looking at around $1.6–1.7M in today’s dollars.
The real difference isn’t the lump sum, it’s whether you can save and invest enough before you hit your target age.
Quick & Simple Rules to Check Your Progress
Here are 3 easy calculations that can give you a quick snapshot of where you stand:
1. The 80% Rule
- You’ll need about 80% of your pre-retirement income once you stop working.
- Example: If your household income is $100,000, you’ll need $80,000 in retirement.
- Subtract CPF LIFE payouts (say $36,000). That leaves $44,000 per year.
- Multiply by 25 = $1.1M needed in savings.
2. “X” Times of Salary
- By age 30 → 1× your annual salary saved
- Age 40 → 3× salary
- Age 50 → 6× salary
- Age 60 → 8× salary
- Retirement (67) → 10× salary
3. The Savings Rate
- To replace 50% of income (CPF LIFE covers the rest):
- Start at 20 → save 9% of income annually (with a 40-year horizon).
- Start at 30 → save 17% per year (30-year horizon).
- 👉 The later you start, the more you need to save — a clear case for the power of compounding.
If you’d like a more detailed and accurate way to calculate your retirement needs (including medical and long-term care costs), I’d be happy to help.
📩 Just hit reply with “Calculator”, and I’ll send you my Retirement Cashflow Calculator.
To your financial freedom,
Zest Chia
Executive Wealth Consultant | Associate Estate Planning Practitioner |
Licensed General Insurance Advisory
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