The direct answer

How much should I save for retirement?

Start with the spending you expect to support and the resources you expect to have. The difference is the gap to investigate. Your retirement date, how long the money may need to last, inflation, healthcare costs and investment risk all affect the amount; a single savings target cannot fit everyone.

Build a retirement budget in today’s money

Separate essential spending from flexible spending. Then list each expected income source or fund, when it becomes available and whether its value is certain. Do not count the same asset twice.

  • Housing, food, utilities and transport.
  • Healthcare, insurance and care responsibilities.
  • Debt repayments that may continue after retirement.
  • Travel, gifts and other optional spending.
  • Workplace retirement balances and other savings, checked against current statements.

Distinguish future rupees from purchasing power

As an arithmetic illustration, Rs. 100,000 of monthly spending today would become about Rs. 265,000 after twenty years at an assumed 5% annual inflation rate. That rate is an assumption, not a Sri Lankan inflation forecast.

Run more than one scenario. A result that only works with a high return or a short retirement deserves closer review. Include fees, taxes where applicable and the possibility that returns arrive unevenly.

Use the projection studio as a starting point

The website’s calculator compounds an assumed nominal annual rate monthly and adds contributions at each month’s end. It does not model a policy, inflation, fees, taxes or market fluctuations.

Use it to explore how changing a contribution or time horizon affects the maths. For a personal plan, bring current statements and discuss the assumptions with an appropriately qualified adviser.

Try the illustrative projection studio →

Related questions

Is a retirement illustration a guaranteed income?

No. A calculation shows an outcome under assumptions. Any guaranteed benefit must be identified in the actual contract, including its conditions and payment dates.

When should I review my retirement plan?

Review it when income, expenses, family responsibilities or retirement timing change, and periodically as your statements and costs change. Keep a record of the assumptions behind each revision.

Sources & further reading

Official sources checked on 23 September 2026. Insurer pages describe that insurer’s products; the policy issued to you governs your cover.

These educational guides were prepared with AI assistance from the linked public sources. They have not been represented as personally reviewed by an insurer or regulator. Read the editorial approach.