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Retireator

retireator.org

Free plan Open source WebWindows
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Spec score 8.3 #7 of 26 in Retirement Planning Software

What it is

Retireator is a free, open-source retirement simulator written in Microsoft Excel for short- and medium-term financial planning. Users can build and test drawdown strategies across years using different income sources. It projects income and savings growth, supports withdrawal planning and scenario analysis, and models Social Security benefits and federal and state income taxes. Social Security calculations include spousal and survivor benefits, early-retirement reductions, and delayed-retirement credits. Other modeled factors include wage and consumer price inflation, stocks and bonds, past and future market conditions, employment and passive income, defined benefit pensions, debt, and net worth. Portfolio features cover target date funds and 401(k), 403(b), and IRA accounts. Housing tools include mortgage payment and amortization calculations, reverse mortgages, and scheduled one-time expenses. The listed annuity types include immediate, deferred, fixed, variable, indexed, and joint and survivor options. Tax calculations also cover payroll, self-employment, and long-term capital gains. Retireator is available on the web and Windows; account synchronization is not included.

Spec sheet

What it does
Retireator is a free, open-source retirement simulator implemented in Microsoft Excel for short- and medium-term planning.Read 20 Oct 2026 · retireator.org
Purpose
Retireator is a retirement simulator focused on short- and medium-term financial planning.Read 30 Sep 2026 · retireator.org
Support
The site provides a contact form requiring a name and email address for messages.Read 20 Oct 2026 · retireator.org
License
The download page distributes Retireator under the GNU Affero General Public License version 3 or later.Read 20 Oct 2026 · retireator.org
Annuities
Annuity modeling covers life, period-certain, immediate, deferred, fixed, variable, indexed, inflation-adjusted, and joint-survivor arrangements.Read 20 Oct 2026 · retireator.org
Annuity parameters
Advanced annuity inputs include participation rates, rate ceilings and floors, fees, guaranteed terms, survivor benefits, and cost basis.Read 20 Oct 2026 · retireator.org
Creator
The project credits Larry Blumer, Jr. as its creator.Read 20 Oct 2026 · retireator.org
Current download
The download page identifies Retireator v2026.0909 as a 1.31 MB XLSM file and reports 12 downloads.Read 20 Oct 2026 · retireator.org
Dashboard
The dashboard displays simulation results, lets users set or solve for a retirement date, and records comparisons between successive runs.Read 20 Oct 2026 · retireator.org
Developer adaptability
The README says the Excel format is intended to remain open and adaptable for developers and non-developers.Read 20 Oct 2026 · github.com
Documentation
The documentation section provides a User’s Guide and a Simulation Parameter Reference.Read 20 Oct 2026 · retireator.org
Drawdown planning
Users can construct and test multi-year retirement drawdown strategies using multiple income sources.Read 20 Oct 2026 · retireator.org
Economy
Listed economic features include wage and consumer price inflation, stocks and bonds, and past and future market conditions.Read 30 Sep 2026 · retireator.org
Economy inputs
The simulator models wage inflation, consumer-price inflation, stocks, bonds, and historical or future market conditions.Read 20 Oct 2026 · retireator.org
Excel Online
Excel Online is supported with limited functionality.Read 20 Oct 2026 · retireator.org
Expense scheduling
Users can schedule lump-sum and other one-time expenses in the simulation.Read 20 Oct 2026 · retireator.org
Format
The simulator is written in Microsoft Excel and is open source.Read 30 Sep 2026 · retireator.org
GitHub license metadata
The repository page identifies the project as AGPL-3.0 licensed.Read 20 Oct 2026 · github.com
Housing and expenses
Listed expense features include mortgage payment and amortization calculations, reverse mortgage calculations, and lump-sum and one-time expense scheduling.Read 30 Sep 2026 · retireator.org
Income and finances
Listed income and finance features include employer, self-employment and passive income, defined benefit pensions, debt, and net worth calculation.Read 30 Sep 2026 · retireator.org
Income sources
Income modeling includes employer, self-employment, passive income, defined-benefit pensions, debt, and net-worth calculations.Read 20 Oct 2026 · retireator.org
Investment strategies
Portfolio settings include investment strategies such as target-date funds and cost-basis tracking.Read 20 Oct 2026 · retireator.org
Limit: Excel Online
The browser-based Excel option has limited functionality compared with desktop Excel.Read 20 Oct 2026 · retireator.org
Limit: macro dependency
The workbook requires macros for initial setup, which adds an Excel security and compatibility dependency.Read 20 Oct 2026 · retireator.org
Mortgage tools
Housing tools include mortgage payments, amortization schedules, principal curtailment, home-value present value, and reverse-mortgage calculations.Read 20 Oct 2026 · retireator.org
Parameter reference depth
The parameter reference documents simulation inputs across setup, economy, income, portfolio, annuity, expenses, debt, and Social Security categories.Read 20 Oct 2026 · retireator.org
Planning scenarios
Users can build and test retirement drawdown strategies using different retirement income sources over a period of years.Read 30 Sep 2026 · retireator.org
Portfolio
Listed portfolio features include investment strategies such as target date funds and accounts including 401(k), 403(b), and IRAs.Read 30 Sep 2026 · retireator.org
Portfolio accounts
Supported portfolio categories include 401(k), 403(b), Roth variants, SEP/SIMPLE/Solo 401(k), traditional IRA, spousal IRA, and Roth IRA accounts.Read 20 Oct 2026 · retireator.org
Project copyright
The project copyright notice covers 2015–2026 and names Larry Blumer, Jr.Read 20 Oct 2026 · github.com
Public repository
The Develop page links to a public GitHub repository named Retireator Advanced Retirement Simulator.Read 20 Oct 2026 · retireator.org
Release history
The maker's release archive lists version 2025.1223 as released on December 23, 2025.Read 30 Sep 2026 · retireator.org
Release news
A release post for Retireator v2025.1223 is dated December 23, 2025.Read 20 Oct 2026 · retireator.org
Repository activity
GitHub shows 269 commits for the public repository.Read 20 Oct 2026 · github.com
Repository popularity
GitHub shows 6 stars, 2 forks, and 0 open issues for the repository.Read 20 Oct 2026 · github.com
Repository releases
The GitHub repository page displays no published releases or packages.Read 20 Oct 2026 · github.com
Repository structure
The repository lists Excel_2016/xlsm_repo, VS Code settings, GitHub workflows, a makefile, contribution guidance, README, and license files.Read 20 Oct 2026 · github.com
Savings goal
The calculated savings goal incorporates projected withdrawals, taxes, inflation, and portfolio returns.Read 20 Oct 2026 · retireator.org
Setup modes
Initial setup runs when the workbook is first opened with macros enabled and offers Basic or Advanced parameter modes.Read 20 Oct 2026 · retireator.org
Social Security
Social Security calculations include full-retirement-age rules, work credits, wage indexing, COLA, AIME/PIA, spousal and survivor benefits, deemed filing, early-retirement reductions, and delayed credits.Read 20 Oct 2026 · retireator.org
Social Security detail
Listed Social Security features include spousal benefits for a current spouse, survivor benefits, early retirement reductions, and delayed retirement credits.Read 30 Sep 2026 · retireator.org
System requirement
The downloadable workbook requires Microsoft Windows and Excel 2007–2019 or Excel 365, 32-bit or 64-bit, with macros.Read 20 Oct 2026 · retireator.org
Tax features
Listed tax features include payroll, federal, self-employment, state, and long-term capital gains taxes, plus taxes on annuities and Social Security.Read 30 Sep 2026 · retireator.org
Tax modeling
Tax features cover filing status, payroll, federal, self-employment, state, long-term-capital-gains, annuity, and Social Security taxes.Read 20 Oct 2026 · retireator.org
Taxes and Social Security
The simulator includes calculations and extrapolations for Social Security benefits and federal and state income taxes.Read 30 Sep 2026 · retireator.org
Warranty disclaimer
The project license text states that the software is provided without warranty, including implied merchantability or fitness warranties.Read 20 Oct 2026 · github.com

Plans and prices

Free Free Free, open-source retirement simulator Read 30 Sep 2026 · retireator.org
Free Free free software · Windows Excel workbook · Excel Online limited functionality Read 20 Oct 2026 · retireator.org

Every Retireator plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Free and open source.
  • Models Social Security benefits and income taxes.
  • Supports drawdown strategies and scenario analysis.
  • Includes multiple retirement account types.
  • Calculates mortgage and reverse mortgage scenarios.

Limits

  • Account synchronization is not included.
  • Written in Microsoft Excel.
  • Focused on short- and medium-term planning.

Who it suits

It suits people planning retirement drawdowns over a short or medium time horizon who want to model multiple income sources, taxes, and Social Security. Users should be comfortable working with a simulator written in Microsoft Excel.

Verdict

Retireator brings income, withdrawal, tax, Social Security, housing, and portfolio factors into a retirement simulator. Its stated planning focus is short and medium term, and it does not synchronize accounts.

Where Specifiction places it

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