ποΈ How the Freedom planner works
What it answers
"When could we stop working, and how much could we spend each month?" It takes your pots today, keeps adding what you save each month until you stop, grows everything at the rates set in Admin, then spends it down year by year until age 95.
Today's money vs future pounds
Prices rise over time (we assume 2.5% a year), so Β£1 in 2050 buys less than Β£1 today.
- Today's money (the default) shows everything as what it would buy today. "Β£3,000 a month" means the lifestyle Β£3,000 gives you now. This is the honest way to judge a plan.
- Future pounds shows the actual numbers you'd see on statements or paid into your account in that year. They're bigger, but they buy the same.
Example: Β£394K left at 95 in today's money β Β£1.35M on the statement in 2076. Same buying power.
Where the money comes from
- ISAs, savings and crypto: spend any time, tax-free. They "bridge" you if you stop before 57. Slow-growing pots (cash, crypto) are used first.
- Pensions: unlock at 57. Each withdrawal is 25% tax-free and the rest taxed like a salary. The planner uses them before ISAs.
- State pension: from 68, about Β£12.5K a year each at today's full rate.
- Mortgage: once it's paid off, you need that much less each month.
The tiles
The earliest age (or year, for Together) at which your chosen retirement income lasts to 95 on a straight-line projection. Tap a name to open the plan and try other ages with the slider.
π² Market-tested
Real markets go up and down. We replay your plan through 400 bumpy market paths with the same average growth. β
Robust = lasts in 85%+ of them, π‘ Fair = 60β85%, β οΈ Coin-flip = under 60%. The 85%-safe age is the earliest age that works in 85% of paths: a good one to aim for.
π The chart
Your total money over time: β ISAs & savings on top of β pensions. The grey shading is the range between good and bad markets. Icons mark the big moments; tap any year for the details.
The comparison gauge
Compares what you could spend (not counting the mortgage) with the UK Retirement Living Standards 2026: Minimum, Moderate and Comfortable. β
and β¦ are your own "comfortable" and "dream" levels from Admin. Also shows it as a % of your take-home pay today; about two-thirds usually feels like no drop.
π Bonuses
Your usual bonus never changes the main figures (it isn't guaranteed). It only shows as a separate "with your usual bonus" line.
Good to know
- It's a projection to plan with, not financial advice.
- Tax uses today's England bands; rules and the state pension age can change.
- Change the numbers in Admin β Targets: retirement income, state pension forecast, inflation, and how long the money must last.