technofatty Questions, awkwardly answered.

Questions, awkwardly answered.

Money · Retirement check

Pension Gap Calculator

Check whether your pension contributions are on track to hit your retirement income target, using your current pot and monthly contributions.

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Retirement check

Enter your age, current pot, monthly contribution, target retirement age, and the income you want in retirement.

What this means

This tool projects your pension pot at retirement using compound growth, then compares it to the pot you need for your target monthly income using the 25x rule.

Formula used

Projected pot = current pot × (1.05)^years + contributions × growth factor. Target pot = target monthly income × 12 × 25.

Worked example

A 40-year-old with a £60,000 pot, contributing £400 per month, retiring at 67, targeting £2,000 per month: projected pot is around £433,000 against a £600,000 target — a shortfall of £167,000.

Common questions

Why does it use 5% growth?
5% is a commonly cited long-run real return assumption for diversified pension investment. Actual returns depend on your fund choices, charges, and market conditions, so treat the projection as a rough steer, not a guarantee.

What is the 25x rule?
The 25x rule (also called the 4% rule) says you need a pension pot of roughly 25 times your annual retirement income to sustain withdrawals at 4% per year indefinitely. It is a planning heuristic, not a guarantee.

Plain-English summary

Enter your current age, pension pot, contributions, and retirement target to get a gap verdict.

This section translates the result into a short, direct takeaway rather than leaving the page at a bare number.

Disclaimer: This is a rough projection using a 5% real growth assumption and the 25x income rule. It is not financial, pension, or regulated advice. Actual returns vary. Speak to a regulated adviser before making pension decisions.

Read the guide

Am I saving enough for retirement

A plain guide to pension projections, the 25x income rule, and how to think about a shortfall without panic.

Read the guide

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