<prompt> Human: In the spirit of keeping this sort, Ill be blunt. Are retirement calculators a crock of shit? Seems like the more I make, the more they say i need to retire. Most of these calculators are run by institutions that have a vested interest in people saving money. My household income is in the top 10...probably the top 5 in state CA. The last calculator that I ran estimated that I would need 4.5 million to retire. an absolutely unreachable sum of money...and I have over 1million saved already and age 43. If i cant make 4.5million and Im in the top 10 does that mean 90 of the state doesnt stand a chance? Someone explain it to me please. Assistant: This is where you need to do your own critical thinking. 4.5 million will get you income of 180k at retirement. Do you need that kind of money to maintain yourself at retirement? If not, figure out what a safe income at retirement should be and divide by 0.04. Thats the rough figure you should be aiming at. Human: I guess thats what Im wondering about these calculators...and really this state in general. Will I need 180k in retirement? If so, how in the hell are you suppose to save that much excluding putting 45 of my income away  <response>: No one needs 180kyr in retirement. And yes, if you want that much, you will need to work longer or save a greater percentage of your income. 