Tue Nov 04 2025, by Tyler Gardner

The Only Retirement Video You'll Ever Need

Here is the only retirement video you will ever need. And if I were you, I'd grab a pen and paper.

I'm Tyler, a former financial advisor and portfolio manager. Now I make financial content for free so you don't have to pay for it.

1. Track High Spending Month

Write down what you spend in a high spending month.

2. Track Low Spending Month

Now write down what you spend in a low month.

3. Average the Two

Average the two amounts together.

4. Annual Spending Projection

Multiply the average by 12 and that gives you your projected annual spending.

5. Adjust for Taxes and Life Events

Now multiply that number by 1.2 for taxes and random life events.

6. Determine Your Target Nest Egg

Next, multiply that by 20. That’s your target nest egg, as you can usually draw down 5% of your assets per year.

7. Sum Your Investable Assets

Now add up all your current investable assets.

8. Calculate Your Gap

Subtract the amount from step 7 from the amount in step 6. That’s your gap.

9. Pick Your Retirement Age

Choose your desired retirement age.

10. Years to Go

Calculate the years to go: your retirement age minus your current age.

11. Annual Savings Goal

Finally, divide the asset gap by the years to go. That’s what you need to save and invest each year across a taxable brokerage, a 401(k), or a Roth IRA.

Conclusion

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