Future retirees don't need to take a wild guess about how much they need to save, or what sort of income they can expect once retired. Several calculators are available online - for free - that can do this complicated math, providing guidance for investors ready to start getting serious about retirement.
Here's a quick look at of some of the internet's best retirement tools.
Bloomberg.com Retirement Planner
This Java-based calculator appears simplistic at first glance, but actually offers lots of variables and option not found with other retirement planning utilities. Namely, Bloomberg's tools lets users include or exclude Social Security payments. That feature allows workers to realistically plan for the worst-case scenario.... that the Social Security system may be bankrupt by the time they reach retirement age.