Your Retirement Picture
Enter your savings and income to see inflation's real impact
We'll show you what each dollar is worth across 10, 15, 20, and 30 years — and how different inflation rates change the picture dramatically.
Total from all sources: Social Security, pension, withdrawals
Years until you retire, or years you've been retired
Current or expected benefit (receives annual COLA adjustment)
Select a rate or enter your own. Historical average is 3.1%. Recent peak was 8% (2022).
Purchasing Power of Your Savings Over Time
The Erosion Curve — Purchasing Power vs. Nominal Value
The gap between what your savings say and what they buy
Hover for exact values at any year
How Inflation Hits Different Retirement Expenses
Four Strategies That Actually Help
Stay invested in growth assets
The S&P 500 has returned ~9.5% annually (real, inflation-adjusted) over the past decade. A 100% cash or bond portfolio virtually guarantees falling behind inflation over 20–30 years.
Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS)
U.S. government bonds whose principal adjusts with the CPI. Low return but guaranteed inflation protection. Ideal as part of a fixed-income allocation for conservative retirees.
Delay Social Security to lock in a higher COLA base
Every year you delay past 62 increases your benefit by up to 8%. Because Social Security COLAs are applied to your monthly amount, a higher base means more inflation protection for life.
Annual withdrawal rate review
Don't set your withdrawal rate and forget it. Revisit annually — spending less in bad market years and adjusting for real inflation maintains portfolio longevity far better than a fixed rate.
The Honest Picture
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Watch: How Inflation Is Quietly Destroying Retirement Savings
The full video covers COLA shortfalls, TIPS, and the four inflation strategies that actually work.
Sources
Kiplinger / Senior Citizens League — Social Security benefits lost 20% of buying power 2010–2024
kiplinger.com — Inflation Impacting Retirees
BLBB Advisors — $1M loses 26% of purchasing power in 10 years at 3% inflation
blbb.com — Retirement in a High-Inflation Era
SoFi — How Does Inflation Affect Retirement Savings
sofi.com — Inflation and Retirement Savings
U.S. Department of Labor — Impact of Inflation on Retirement Savings (December 2024)
dol.gov — Inflation Report 2024