Links to the web’s best tools for retirement planning and projections.

RETIREMENT PLANNERS

How much - This tool allows you to look at your entire expected span of years in retirement, and play with various assumptions to see how variations affect your retirement security. From the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

How long - Life expectancy is the key to figuring out how many years of retirement you’ll need to fund. Try the calculators at Real Age, Livingto100 or the Wharton School.

SOCIAL SECURITY

Retirement estimator - A majority of Americans file for Social Security benefits as soon as they become eligible at age 62. In many cases, you’ll receive higher lifetime benefits by waiting at least until the Normal Retirement Age (NRA) of 66 or higher. The Social Security Administration has built a useful online Retirement Estimator that allows you to project your future benefits assuming different retirement ages. The tool is free and easy to use–you just plug in a few personal facts and your Social Security number; the site digs through your actual lifetime earning history and calculates your monthly benefit assuming different retirement ages. It’s a useful decision-making tool and takes less than five minutes to use.

Social Security Administration tables. The Social Security Administration also publishes tables showing how much your benefits will be reduced, with varying monthly benefit assumptions. The SSA’s overall Social Security planning section is here.

Social Security retirement planner. Detailed information about your Social Security retirement benefits from the Social Security Administration.

USA Today calculator. USA Today published a week-long series called “Turning 62: The Retirement Boom Begins.” The package included one of the niftiest online calculators for Social Security benefits that I’ve seen anywhere.

INVESTING

Roth IRA conversion - Estimates the change in total net-worth, at retirement, if you convert your Traditional IRA into a Roth IRA. From the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Traditional IRA or Roth - determines which IRA is best suited for you. From the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

LONG-TERM CARE

Should you buy a long-term care policy? This calculator takes into account your age, assets and expected retirement income–very importantly–your ability to pay premiums. From the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.