Real‑world examples of retirement budget spreadsheet examples that actually work

1. Why starting with real spreadsheet examples beats starting from scratch

Most retirement advice is big on theory and light on implementation. The value of seeing examples of retirement budget spreadsheet examples is that you can copy the structure, not just the ideas.

Good retirement budget spreadsheets usually:

• Separate fixed and variable spending
• Show monthly and annual totals side by side
• Include taxes, not just gross income
• Build in healthcare and long‑term care assumptions
• Model inflation and portfolio withdrawals over time

In 2024–2025, this level of detail matters. Retirees are dealing with elevated inflation compared with the 2010s, higher interest rates, and rising healthcare costs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that older households spend a larger share of their budget on healthcare and housing than younger ones, and that pattern has held steady for years (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey). Your spreadsheet should reflect that reality.

Let’s walk through several real examples of retirement budget spreadsheet structures you can adapt.

2. Example of a basic retirement budget spreadsheet for a 65‑year‑old couple

This is the classic case: both spouses retired at 65, drawing Social Security and a mix of IRA/401(k) funds.

In this example of a retirement budget spreadsheet, the couple organizes their workbook into four tabs:

• Income – Social Security, pension, part‑time income, investment withdrawals
• Expenses – fixed vs. variable, monthly and annual
• Healthcare – Medicare premiums, Medigap or Advantage plan, out‑of‑pocket
• Summary & gap – total income vs. total spending, with a surplus/shortfall line

On the Income tab, the spreadsheet includes:

• Two Social Security benefits (with a column for “after Medicare Part B deduction”)
• A small pension
• A planned 4% annual withdrawal from a $600,000 portfolio (adjusted for inflation)

On the Expenses tab, fixed costs might include:

• Mortgage or rent
• Property taxes and insurance
• Basic utilities and internet
• Medicare and supplemental premiums

Variable spending includes:

• Groceries and dining out
• Travel
• Gifts and charitable giving
• Home maintenance and car repairs

This is one of the best examples for new retirees because it’s simple but still realistic. It forces you to see whether your income sources actually cover your lifestyle before you start spending.

3. Examples of retirement budget spreadsheet examples for early retirees (55–60)

Early retirees face a specific headache: health insurance before Medicare. Any good example of an early retirement budget spreadsheet has to highlight this line item in bright red.

In this scenario, the spreadsheet usually has an extra tab labeled “Pre‑Medicare Years” covering age 55–64.

Key features in these examples include:

• A separate section for ACA marketplace premiums or COBRA, with annual increases
• Higher out‑of‑pocket medical spending assumptions, since early retirees often have higher deductibles
• A tax‑aware withdrawal plan, showing which accounts you tap first (taxable, then traditional IRA/401(k), then Roth)

The healthcare tab might use data from sources like the Kaiser Family Foundation or Healthcare.gov to estimate premiums, plus an inflation rate of 4–6% specifically for medical costs, which tend to rise faster than general inflation (CMS historical data).

These real examples also usually show a drop in premiums at 65 when Medicare begins, then add in Medicare Part B, Part D, and Medigap or Advantage plan costs.

4. Spreadsheet example for a retiree with a paid‑off home

A lot of people assume that if the mortgage is gone, housing doesn’t matter. The smarter examples of retirement budget spreadsheet examples show the opposite: housing still eats a meaningful chunk of cash.

In this case, the spreadsheet highlights:

• Property taxes (often rising faster than inflation)
• Homeowners insurance (which has jumped in many states since 2020)
• Maintenance and repairs (roof, HVAC, appliances)
• Landscaping and services (snow removal, lawn care)

The Expenses tab for this retiree often has a specific “Home Ownership” section with annualized estimates. A realistic spreadsheet example might allocate 1–2% of the home’s value per year for maintenance. On a \(400,000 home, that’s \)4,000–$8,000 annually, which many people underestimate.

One of the best examples I’ve seen also includes a “What if we downsize at 75?” scenario. That tab models selling the home, moving to a smaller place (rent or condo), and shows:

• Lower housing costs
• Possibly higher HOA fees or rent
• New one‑time costs for moving and furnishing

This kind of example of a retirement budget spreadsheet helps you see whether staying put or downsizing gives you more flexibility.

5. Example of a retirement spreadsheet focused on healthcare and long‑term care

By your late 60s and 70s, healthcare stops being a side note and becomes a core budget driver. The best examples of retirement budget spreadsheet examples now give healthcare its own dedicated section.

A strong healthcare‑heavy spreadsheet typically includes:

• Medicare Part B and Part D premiums
• Medigap or Medicare Advantage plan costs
• Dental, vision, and hearing (often not fully covered by Medicare)
• Regular prescriptions and copays
• A separate line for long‑term care costs or insurance premiums

Many retirees use estimates from sources like Medicare.gov and LongTermCare.gov to plug in realistic figures. For example, LongTermCare.gov provides typical costs for assisted living and nursing homes by state (LongTermCare.gov).

In one real example, a single retiree in her early 70s assumes:

• Medicare plus Medigap premiums of ~$350/month
• $1,200/year in dental and vision
• A long‑term care insurance premium of $2,400/year
• A separate “reserve” line item of $3,000/year for unexpected medical events

The spreadsheet then projects these items forward with a 5% annual inflation rate, separate from the 2.5–3% general inflation rate used for other expenses.

6. Spreadsheet example for part‑time work in retirement

Plenty of people don’t fully retire; they phase out. That requires a different style of spreadsheet. These examples of retirement budget spreadsheet examples are built around variable income and flexible spending.

A typical structure:

• Tab 1: Phase‑out years (62–70) with part‑time income and lower portfolio withdrawals
• Tab 2: Full retirement years (70+) with no work income and higher withdrawals
• Tab 3: Social Security timing comparisons (claiming at 62, FRA, or 70)

On the income tab, the spreadsheet might show:

• Part‑time consulting or retail work at $20,000/year
• Reduced portfolio withdrawals while working
• Delayed Social Security until 67 or 70 to lock in higher benefits

This example of a retirement budget spreadsheet makes the trade‑offs very visible. You can see that working two days a week for a few years might:

• Cut your portfolio withdrawals almost in half in your 60s
• Allow you to delay Social Security, increasing your lifetime benefit (Social Security Administration tools)

If you want real examples that show the psychological side, some people add a separate tab for “discretionary fun money” that ramps up in the early years of retirement and then tapers in their 80s.

7. Examples include inflation and market returns, not just today’s prices

The weakest retirement spreadsheets are static: one year, one set of numbers. The best examples of retirement budget spreadsheet examples stretch across decades.

More advanced spreadsheets include:

• A timeline from age 60 to 95 or 100
• Columns for each year’s starting portfolio balance, withdrawals, investment growth, and ending balance
• Separate inflation assumptions for:
  • General spending (2–3%)
  • Healthcare (4–6%)
  • Property taxes (often 3–4% depending on location)

One powerful example of this type of spreadsheet:

• Uses a 3% general inflation rate
• Models a 3.5–4% initial withdrawal rate from investments
• Assumes a conservative 4–5% real (after inflation) portfolio return, reflecting lower expected returns than the historical average, which is a common theme in current retirement research

If you want to go deeper, some retirees pair their spreadsheet with online calculators from universities or nonprofit organizations that model safe withdrawal rates and failure probabilities. Those tools can inform the assumptions you plug into your own spreadsheet.

8. Spreadsheet example for retirees supporting adult children or family

Another very real 2024–2025 trend: retirees helping adult kids with housing, student loans, or childcare. Good examples of retirement budget spreadsheet examples don’t hide this; they give it its own category.

In this scenario, the Expenses tab might include:

• Monthly or annual gifts to children or grandchildren
• College savings contributions for grandkids
• Occasional big‑ticket support (help with a down payment, medical bills, or debt payoff)

A realistic example of a spreadsheet might:

• Add a recurring $500/month transfer to an adult child for five years
• Treat a one‑time $30,000 down payment gift as a separate line item in year 3

The key is that these real examples force you to see the trade‑offs. You can then run a second version of the spreadsheet without those transfers and compare your projected portfolio value and long‑term sustainability.

9. How to build your own from these examples of retirement budget spreadsheet examples

You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Treat these real examples as building blocks and combine what fits your situation.

A practical workflow:

• Start with the basic couple or single retiree structure as your core workbook.
• Add a healthcare tab modeled on the healthcare‑focused example, using current Medicare and insurance numbers from authoritative sites like Medicare.gov.
• If you’re pre‑65, copy the early retirement approach with a separate pre‑Medicare section.
• If you plan to work part‑time, add a phase‑out tab with variable income.
• Layer in inflation and returns using the multi‑year projection style from the advanced examples.

These blended, personalized spreadsheets often become the best examples because they reflect your actual life instead of a generic template.

As you build, remember:

• Keep formulas visible and simple (no hidden magic)
• Label assumptions clearly (inflation, returns, tax rates)
• Update once or twice a year as prices, taxes, and your health change

You’re not trying to predict the future perfectly. You’re trying to create a living document that keeps your retirement spending aligned with reality.

10. FAQ: Real questions about retirement budget spreadsheet examples

Q1: Where can I find free examples of retirement budget spreadsheet examples to download?
Many financial planners and consumer finance sites offer free templates. Look for ones that allow you to edit categories and assumptions. You can also start with a basic monthly budget template from a tool like Google Sheets and adapt it using the real examples described above: separate tabs for income, expenses, healthcare, and long‑term projections.

Q2: What’s one good example of a retirement budget spreadsheet for someone with high medical costs?
A strong example of a spreadsheet for high medical costs has a dedicated healthcare tab, uses higher inflation for medical expenses, and includes a reserve for unexpected procedures. It pulls estimates from authoritative sources like Medicare.gov and LongTermCare.gov, then runs those forward 20–30 years to show how healthcare might crowd out other spending.

Q3: How often should I update my retirement budget spreadsheet?
Most retirees do a light refresh every 6–12 months. Update actual spending, new insurance premiums, property taxes, and portfolio balances. Then compare your real numbers to the examples you originally used. If your spending is consistently higher than planned in certain categories, adjust the spreadsheet rather than ignoring the trend.

Q4: Do I really need multiple tabs, or is one simple sheet enough?
You can start with a single sheet, but the best examples of retirement budget spreadsheet examples almost always use multiple tabs. Separate tabs for income, expenses, healthcare, and long‑term projections keep things readable and make it easier to test different scenarios without breaking your core numbers.

Q5: Should my retirement spreadsheet match what online calculators say?
Not exactly. Online calculators from universities, nonprofits, or government agencies are helpful for stress‑testing your plan, but they use generic assumptions. Your spreadsheet should reflect your actual spending, tax situation, and goals. Use the calculators as a reference point, then build off the real examples that look most like your life.

If you take nothing else from these examples of retirement budget spreadsheet examples, take this: the format matters less than the honesty. The more accurately you capture your real spending, health risks, and family commitments, the more useful your spreadsheet becomes as a decision‑making tool.