The Ultimate Retirement Planning Spreadsheet | Free Template

A retirement planning spreadsheet can be one of the most powerful tools in your financial toolkit. Whether you’re five years from retirement or just getting started, mapping out your income, savings, expenses, and lifestyle goals in one place can bring clarity and peace of mind.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to create a retirement planning spreadsheet, what key sections to include, free template resources, and how your real estate choices—like selling your current home – fit into the bigger picture.

🧮 Why Use a Retirement Planning Spreadsheet?

A retirement planning spreadsheet is more than just numbers. It’s a roadmap for your future lifestyle, helping you answer critical questions:

  • When can I afford to retire?
  • Will I outlive my savings?
  • How much should I be saving monthly?
  • Should I sell my house or downsize?

By laying everything out clearly, you can make smarter decisions—and avoid unpleasant surprises down the road.

📊 What to Include in a Retirement Planning Spreadsheet

A strong retirement planning spreadsheet should include the following tabs or sections:

1. Current Assets & Savings

List all retirement accounts, savings, and investment balances:

  • 401(k), IRA, Roth IRA
  • Brokerage accounts
  • Emergency funds
  • Real estate equity (yes, include your home!)

2. Monthly and Annual Income (Pre- and Post-Retirement)

  • Social Security estimates (use the SSA calculator)
  • Pension income
  • Rental income or annuities
  • Part-time or consulting work (if you plan to continue)

3. Expected Expenses

Break this into categories:

  • Housing (mortgage, rent, maintenance, taxes)
  • Healthcare and insurance
  • Food, utilities, and transportation
  • Travel and leisure
  • Family gifts or support

💡 Tip: Don’t forget to adjust for inflation—3% is a common conservative estimate.

4. Retirement Milestones & Age-Based Triggers

Include important financial checkpoints:

  • Age 59½: Penalty-free retirement withdrawals
  • Age 62–70: Social Security eligibility
  • Age 65: Medicare
  • Age 72: Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs)

5. Net Worth Tracker

A dynamic snapshot of your assets vs liabilities, updated annually.

🧾 Free Retirement Planning Spreadsheet Templates

If you’re not ready to build one from scratch, try these:

These free resources can help you calculate your “number” and simulate different retirement ages and scenarios.

🏠 Should You Include Your Home in Retirement Planning?

Yes- and for many people, it’s their largest asset.

You might ask yourself:

  • Do I stay in my current home or downsize?
  • Should I rent in retirement or own?
  • How much equity can I unlock?

If you’re considering selling your house to simplify your finances or relocate, a cash offer might be the best option—especially if you don’t want to make repairs or deal with agents.

At I Will Buy Your House for Cash, we buy homes in any condition across New Jersey. You can sell your house without making repairs, avoid showings and commissions, and get cash fast to reinvest or relax.

📥 Download Our Free Retirement Planning Spreadsheet

We’ve created a simple, editable retirement planning spreadsheet in Google Sheets to help you get started today.

✅ Includes tabs for assets, income, expenses, milestones, and net worth
✅ Fully editable – customize it to match your goals
✅ Built for clarity – no complicated formulas required

👉 Click here to copy the spreadsheet to your Google Drive

No sign-up required. Just click the link and hit “Make a copy.”

🔑 Real Estate & Retirement: Why Selling Makes Sense for Many

Here’s how selling your house fits into your spreadsheet:

ScenarioResult on Your Plan
Sell and downsizeReduces ongoing monthly expenses
Sell to move closer to familyCuts travel costs, improves life quality
Sell without repairsPreserves savings, skips stressful projects
Sell to fund long-term careConverts equity into accessible cash

Many of our clients retire by selling their home in NJ and moving to a retirement community or relocating out of state. See their testimonials to hear how the process helped simplify their transition.

🧠 Tips to Make Your Spreadsheet Work Long-Term

  1. Update it yearly or after major life events.
  2. Be conservative with projections—better to be over-prepared.
  3. Include “What If” scenarios (e.g., medical emergencies or living longer than expected).
  4. Don’t forget taxes—factor in how different withdrawals are taxed.
  5. Plan for fun—include goals like travel, hobbies, or learning something new!

💬 Ready to Take the Next Step?

If you’re starting to seriously think about retirement, having a clear spreadsheet is step one. Step two? Looking at how your assets—especially your home—can support your goals.

We can help with that. Whether you’re dealing with a leaking roof, unfinished construction, or just want to avoid the listing process, we’re here to help.

🎯 Get your no-obligation cash offer now

No cleaning. No repairs. No commissions. Just a simple way to move forward.

🔗 Related Links:

📌 Final Thoughts: Build a Spreadsheet, Then Build Your Life

A retirement planning spreadsheet isn’t about crunching numbers—it’s about designing your freedom. Whether that means world travel, family time, or stress-free living, it all starts with knowing where you stand.

And if your house is part of the equation, we’re here to help you unlock its value—quickly, fairly, and with no hassle.