Watch the video to learn about the key levers that impact our retirement costs. Then, use the calculator below to enter your own numbers and generate your action plan.

Retirement Plan Tool

IMPORTANT: Women Get Money does not provide advice of any kind. This calculator, any and all resources on this website are provided for general educative purposes only (financial information). If you need advice, you should seek the services of a registered professional. In Australia, you can visit https://moneysmart.gov.au/financial-advice/general-and-personal-financial-advice to find out more about this

From Retirement Fear to Your Personal Retirement Plan | Annette Rose

From Retirement Fear to Your Personal Retirement Plan

Enter your numbers below and discover your retirement reality - Annette Rose, womenget.money

Important - please read before using this calculator

This calculator is for general educational and illustrative purposes only. It does not constitute personal financial advice. Results are estimates based on the information you provide and assumptions about investment returns. Actual outcomes will vary. Dollar amounts shown use Australian examples - if you are in another country please research your own government pension and retirement figures.

Always consult a licensed financial adviser before making decisions about your retirement savings.

Your personalised report

Enter your first name and we will personalise your retirement plan PDF with your name.

This calculator is designed for a single woman scenario

If you have a partner, each of you should complete this calculator separately using your own retirement savings, contributions and expected costs. Shared costs like housing and utilities can be split between the two calculations.

  • Run this calculator for yourself using only your own retirement savings and income
  • For shared costs enter your share - e.g. half the housing cost each
  • Government pension eligibility is assessed individually but household assets affect the amount - seek advice from a financial adviser or Services Australia
  • In Australia, couples have a higher asset threshold for the aged pension than singles
1
About you
Superannuation, pension fund, 401k, IRA or other retirement savings
Total going in each month including employer contributions
Mortgage payoff details
Amount still owing at retirement
2
Your portfolio strategy
Rates are approximate long-term averages before fees. Past performance does not guarantee future returns.
This is deducted from your portfolio rate to give a net return. For example a Balanced portfolio at 6% with 1% fees = 5% net return used in your calculation.
Typical annual investment fees as a guide Low cost industry super funds (e.g. Australian Super, Hostplus): 0.5% to 1% per year. Retail super funds: 1% to 2% per year. Financial adviser managed portfolios: 1.5% to 2.5% per year. ETFs and index funds: 0.1% to 0.5% per year. If you are unsure of your fees log into your super fund or investment account and look for the annual fee, management expense ratio (MER) or indirect cost ratio (ICR). Even a 1% difference in fees can reduce your retirement balance by 20% or more over 20 years - it is worth knowing your number.
You are within 5 years of your planned retirement As you approach retirement your portfolio choice becomes increasingly important. Switching to a more conservative option may help protect your balance from market downturns close to retirement - but may reduce growth. We strongly recommend discussing your portfolio choice with a licensed financial adviser as you approach retirement.
3
My estimated retirement costs (monthly)

Adjust each amount to match your expected lifestyle. Figures shown are Australian examples.

Essential costs
Rent / housing
AUS renting example: ~$2,400/month
Food & groceries
AUS example: ~$400/month
Utilities (electricity, gas, water, internet)
AUS example: ~$300/month
Insurance (home/contents/health)
AUS example: ~$250/month
Medical (scripts, GP, dental)
AUS example: ~$200/month
Transport (car, fuel, public transport)
AUS example: ~$300/month
Lifestyle
Treats, travel, gifts, entertainment, emergencies
Most people significantly underestimate this one!
My additional costs (optional - add up to 3)
4
Government / aged pension
AUS example: full single aged pension is approximately $2,600/month (2025 figures). Outside Australia - check your government's pension or social security amount. Enter 0 if unsure.
Important - the pension means test The amount of government pension you actually receive may be significantly reduced - or eliminated entirely - depending on the value of your assets and income at retirement. In Australia this is called the means test. The more assets you have, the less pension you may receive. If you expect to retire with significant savings or investments, enter a lower figure or enter 0 and seek personalised advice from a licensed financial adviser or Services Australia (servicesaustralia.gov.au).

Your personal retirement scenario

Based on your numbers

-
Years until retirement
-
Projected retirement balance
-
Monthly income from savings (3% drawdown)
About the 3% drawdown assumption: This calculator uses a 3% annual drawdown rate - a conservative figure used by many financial planners to help ensure capital lasts through a long retirement. At 3% drawdown your projected balance would last approximately - years, meaning your capital would theoretically be exhausted at age -. If you retire at 65 and live to 90+ this -. A licensed financial adviser can model a drawdown rate specific to your situation.
About your projected balance and inflation: The projected retirement balance shown is in future dollars - the actual amount that will be in your account on the day you retire. This figure will be higher than the inflation-adjusted results shown by calculators like the Moneysmart Superannuation Calculator, which express your balance in today's purchasing power. Both approaches are correct - they simply answer different questions. This calculator shows you what will actually be there. Moneysmart shows you what that amount is worth in today's terms. Over a 10-year period, inflation of around 2.5% per year means today's dollars are worth roughly 20-25% more than the same nominal amount in a decade.
Estimated monthly retirement income
Income from retirement savings (3% drawdown)-
Government / aged pension (as entered)-
Total estimated monthly income-
Estimated monthly retirement costs
Total estimated monthly costs-
-
-
-
Here is what closing your gap looks like
-
Your projected retirement balance at current savings rate
-
The balance needed to fully fund your retirement costs
-
extra per month between now and retirement to close the gap
Increasing contributions, reducing costs, choosing a higher growth portfolio and extending your working years all make a meaningful difference. This is exactly what we work through together in the Midlife Money Comeback.

-

-

- -

This calculator is provided by Annette Rose / womenget.money, a business name of Kids Get Money Pty Ltd (ABN 58 660 485 825). All results are estimates for general educational purposes only and do not constitute personal financial advice. Investment returns are not guaranteed. Government pension amounts are based on 2025 Australian figures and are subject to change. The 3% drawdown rate used is illustrative only - actual safe drawdown rates depend on individual circumstances, investment returns and life expectancy. Always consult a licensed financial adviser before making decisions about your retirement savings.

Privacy policy Terms and conditions womenget.money
© Annette Rose / Kids Get Money Pty Ltd ABN 58 660 485 825

Important: This tool does not save any information. Please ensure you download your results if you’d like to refer to them after you leave the page.

DISCLAIMER: We do not provide advice of any kind. This calculator, any and all resources on this website are provided for general educative purposes only (financial information). If you need advice, you should seek the services of a registered professional. In Australia, you can visit https://moneysmart.gov.au/financial-advice/general-and-personal-financial-advice to find out more about this. From this page “…There are so many different places to source financial information and financial advice. When you’re planning your finances and investments, it’s important to know how to recognise whether you’re being general advice, personal advice, or simply financial information.

At high level:

  • General financial advice is a recommendation or opinion about a financial product. But that recommendation or opinion doesn’t consider your personal circumstances and is general in nature.

  • Personal financial advice is a more specific recommendation or opinion that is tailored to your personal circumstances.

  • Financial information is useful facts about products, services and financial strategies. It’s usually free and available from many places (like Moneysmart). A licence isn’t needed to provide factual information.”