Claude Retirement Planning Calculator & Guide Prompt
You are a retirement planning specialist who has helped hundreds of people achieve financial independence.
Category
💰 Finance
Difficulty
Intermediate
Models
3
Last Updated
2026-06-28
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📋 Prompt
You are a retirement planning specialist who has helped hundreds of people achieve financial independence.
DISCLAIMER: Educational only — not regulated financial advice. Consult a qualified IFA for personalised planning.
Age now: [current age]
Retirement age: [retirement age]
Current savings: £/$/[current savings]
Monthly contribution: £/$/[monthly contribution]
Risk tolerance: [risk tolerance — conservative/moderate/growth]
Task: Complete retirement planning analysis:
1. THE NUMBER: How much you need at retirement (25× annual expenses rule)
2. PROJECTION:
Conservative (5% annual return): Savings at retirement
Moderate (7% annual return): Savings at retirement
Optimistic (9% annual return): Savings at retirement
3. GAP ANALYSIS: Are you on track? Contribution needed to close any gap
4. ACCOUNT STRATEGY:
Pension/SIPP vs. ISA — when to use each and in what proportion
5. INVESTMENT ALLOCATION for [risk tolerance]:
Suggested portfolio split by asset class and why
6. CRITICAL MILESTONES: What to check and do at each decade
7. BIGGEST MISTAKES: The retirement planning errors that cost people most
DISCLAIMER: Educational only — not regulated financial advice. Consult a qualified IFA for personalised planning.
Age now: [current age]
Retirement age: [retirement age]
Current savings: £/$/[current savings]
Monthly contribution: £/$/[monthly contribution]
Risk tolerance: [risk tolerance — conservative/moderate/growth]
Task: Complete retirement planning analysis:
1. THE NUMBER: How much you need at retirement (25× annual expenses rule)
2. PROJECTION:
Conservative (5% annual return): Savings at retirement
Moderate (7% annual return): Savings at retirement
Optimistic (9% annual return): Savings at retirement
3. GAP ANALYSIS: Are you on track? Contribution needed to close any gap
4. ACCOUNT STRATEGY:
Pension/SIPP vs. ISA — when to use each and in what proportion
5. INVESTMENT ALLOCATION for [risk tolerance]:
Suggested portfolio split by asset class and why
6. CRITICAL MILESTONES: What to check and do at each decade
7. BIGGEST MISTAKES: The retirement planning errors that cost people most
RETIREMENT PLAN: Age 35, Retiring at 65, £45,000 savings, £800/month contribution
DISCLAIMER: Educational only — not regulated advice.
THE NUMBER:
Estimated retirement income needed: £2,500/month = £30,000/year
25× rule: £30,000 × 25 = £750,000 target
(The 4% withdrawal rule: £750,000 × 4% = £30,000/year, sustainable for 30+ years)
PROJECTION (30 years, including £45K existing + £800/month contributions):
5% annual return: £730,000 ← slightly below target
7% annual return: £1,120,000 ← comfortably exceeds target
9% annual return: £1,750,000 ← significant surplus
GAP ANALYSIS:
At 5% return (conservative): £20,000 short of target
Solution: Increase monthly contribution by £55/month to £855, OR plan to retire at 66 instead of 65
At 7%+ return: On track or ahead — continue current plan
ACCOUNT STRATEGY (UK):
SIPP first up to employer match threshold — it's free money + immediate tax relief
ISA next — for flexibility (accessible before retirement age) and tax-free growth
At age 35: prioritise 80% SIPP, 20% ISA (time horizon allows maximum pension tax benefits)
INVESTMENT ALLOCATION (Moderate risk, 30-year horizon):
60% Global equity index funds (Vanguard FTSE All World or similar)
25% UK/US broad market ETFs
10% Bonds (increase to 40% as retirement approaches)
5% Cash/alternatives
Total cost: Target 0.2–0.3% annual fund charges
DISCLAIMER: Educational only — not regulated advice.
THE NUMBER:
Estimated retirement income needed: £2,500/month = £30,000/year
25× rule: £30,000 × 25 = £750,000 target
(The 4% withdrawal rule: £750,000 × 4% = £30,000/year, sustainable for 30+ years)
PROJECTION (30 years, including £45K existing + £800/month contributions):
5% annual return: £730,000 ← slightly below target
7% annual return: £1,120,000 ← comfortably exceeds target
9% annual return: £1,750,000 ← significant surplus
GAP ANALYSIS:
At 5% return (conservative): £20,000 short of target
Solution: Increase monthly contribution by £55/month to £855, OR plan to retire at 66 instead of 65
At 7%+ return: On track or ahead — continue current plan
ACCOUNT STRATEGY (UK):
SIPP first up to employer match threshold — it's free money + immediate tax relief
ISA next — for flexibility (accessible before retirement age) and tax-free growth
At age 35: prioritise 80% SIPP, 20% ISA (time horizon allows maximum pension tax benefits)
INVESTMENT ALLOCATION (Moderate risk, 30-year horizon):
60% Global equity index funds (Vanguard FTSE All World or similar)
25% UK/US broad market ETFs
10% Bonds (increase to 40% as retirement approaches)
5% Cash/alternatives
Total cost: Target 0.2–0.3% annual fund charges
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💡 Pro Tips
Best model for this prompt
Claude
Claude (Opus 4 / Sonnet 4)
Start yesterday, start today — compound interest's power is almost impossible to describe until you model it. At 7% return, money doubles every 10 years.
Employer pension matching is the highest-risk-free return available — always contribute at least enough to get the full match
As you approach retirement, gradually shift from growth to income investments — the 'glide path' reduces sequence-of-returns risk
Inflation erodes savings — a 7% return with 3% inflation is really a 4% real return; model for real returns, not nominal
Starting too late — the difference between starting at 25 vs. 35 is enormous due to compound interest
Paying high fund management charges — 1% vs. 0.2% annual charge sounds small but costs £100,000+ over a 30-year retirement
Not increasing contributions as income grows — the lifestyle creep that absorbs every pay rise
Accessing pension early — tax penalties and lost compound growth make early access very expensive
- What's the 4% withdrawal rule?A rule of thumb suggesting you can withdraw 4% of your portfolio annually in retirement without running out of money over 30 years. To find your retirement number: annual income needed ÷ 4% = savings target. At 3% (more conservative), it's even safer.
- SIPP vs. ISA — what's the difference?SIPP: Tax relief on contributions (25–45% depending on income), tax-free growth, taxed on withdrawal, accessible from age 57. ISA: No tax relief on contributions, tax-free growth, tax-free on withdrawal, accessible anytime. Use both: SIPP for retirement savings, ISA for accessible long-term savings.
- What is sequence of returns risk?The risk that a major market crash in the first 5 years of retirement permanently reduces your portfolio's longevity. A 30% drop early in retirement when you're withdrawing (not contributing) is far more damaging than the same drop mid-career. Solution: maintain 2–3 years of cash/bonds in retirement.
- How much should I have saved by each age?Common UK benchmark: 1× salary by 30, 3× by 40, 6× by 50, 8× by 60. These are averages for reaching a comfortable retirement — they depend on your target income and retirement age. Use the 25× annual expenses rule for your specific situation.