The Problem with Spreadsheets
I spent years building retirement projections in spreadsheets. I tried every free calculator I could find. They all had the same problem: the numbers were wrong.
Most calculators use a single average return rate — say 7% per year — and project a smooth, upward growth curve. But that's not how markets work. In reality, a retiree who hits a bear market in their first few years of withdrawals can run out of money decades earlier than the “average” projection suggests. This is called sequence-of-returns risk, and most tools completely ignore it.
I was frustrated. The stakes are too high for guesswork. People are making life-changing decisions — when to retire, how much to save, when to claim Social Security — based on calculations that could be off by hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Building a Better Tool
So I built RetirePro. Not as a business first — as a tool I actually needed myself. The core principle was simple: use Monte Carlo simulation instead of averages.
Every time you run a projection in RetirePro, it simulates 1,000 different market scenarios using historically-calibrated returns and volatility. Instead of telling you “you'll have $1.2 million,” it tells you “there's an 87% chance your money lasts through age 95.” That's the kind of answer that actually helps you make decisions.
I then built the same approach into DividendPro for dividend investors who needed accurate income projections — because the same spreadsheet accuracy problems existed there too.
What Makes RetirePro Different
- ✓Monte Carlo simulation — 1,000 scenarios per projection, not a single average
- ✓Actuarially validated — every formula independently verified against IRS tables and academic benchmarks (see our methodology)
- ✓Privacy-first — all calculations run in your browser. We never see your financial data
- ✓Real tax modeling — RMDs, Roth conversions, Social Security taxation, and capital gains
- ✓Social Security optimizer — models claiming at 62, 67, or 70 with spousal benefits
- ✓No account linking — you enter your numbers manually, keeping your credentials safe
Our Commitment
RetirePro is not financial advice. It's a tool that gives you clearer, more honest numbers so you can have better conversations with your financial advisor — or make more informed decisions on your own.
We publish our calculation methodology and editorial policy because transparency matters in finance. If you find an error in our calculations, we want to know — email us at support@retirepro.io.
— The Founder, RetirePro