Enter information about your planned rate of return in Lifetime Planner
Your expected rate of return affects how quickly your savings grow over time—and how long they’ll last in retirement. The Lifetime Planner lets you define separate return rates for taxable and tax-deferred accounts, and for periods before and after retirement.
You can also estimate what percentage of taxable returns will be subject to annual taxes, helping you build a more realistic plan.
📂 Open the return settings
Open the Planning tab and select Lifetime Planner.
Click Plan Assumptions if the assumptions list isn’t already visible.
Click Return in the list.
Adjust your rate of return settings.
📈 Enter average rates of return
You can choose a single set of values for your entire plan or separate values for taxable and tax-deferred accounts.
Before retirement: Enter the average percent gain you expect to earn annually on your investments between now and retirement.
After retirement: Enter the average percent gain you expect to earn after retirement.
📌 To use different return rates for taxable vs. tax-deferred accounts, select the Use separate rates of return checkbox.
💸 Taxable return subject to tax
Under How much of your taxable return will be subject to taxes each year?, enter the percentage of taxable investment returns you expect to pay tax on each year.
📌 If you're mostly invested in growth stocks that don’t pay interest or dividends, a smaller portion of your return might be taxed annually. For example, if 60% of your gains are taxed each year, enter 60% here.
To be conservative, enter 100% unless you're certain about a lower figure.
💡 Tips for choosing your rate of return
A higher rate of return assumes more aggressive investing and higher growth but may be harder to achieve consistently.
A lower return assumes more conservative investing and greater stability.
The rates you enter directly affect your plan’s projections for retirement funding.
💬 Example: You might use 6% before retirement and 4% after retirement to reflect a shift from growth investments to income-focused holdings.
🧾 Understanding taxable vs. tax-deferred growth
Taxable investments (such as brokerage accounts) may incur yearly taxes on interest, dividends, or realized gains.
Tax-deferred investments (such as 401(k)s and IRAs) grow tax-free until you begin withdrawals.
🔍 Tip: Tax-deferred growth lets your investments compound faster, especially before retirement.
🧮 Capital gains guidance
Only realized capital gains are taxable in the year they occur.
If you hold onto investments without selling, gains are unrealized and typically not taxed.
Estimate what portion of your return is typically taxable and enter that value in the taxable return subject to tax field.
Example: If 40% of your gains are unrealized and 60% are taxable, enter 60% in the taxable return box.
🔗 Want help setting return values?
Click What’s your rate of return? at the top of the Return settings window. You’ll see links to model portfolios and asset allocation strategies that align with different return expectations.
💵 Currency reminder
The Lifetime Planner only supports U.S. dollars. If you're using a multicurrency file, make sure your return estimates are based on U.S. pricing and taxation. All values should be entered in U.S. dollars.
Note for our Canadian Customers
The following terms will be different in the Canadian releases of Quicken.
Canada: "Cheque" / United States: "Check"
Canada: "Colour" / United States: "Color"
Canada: "Centre" / United States: "Center"
Canada: "Realise" / United States: "Realize"
Canada: "Behaviour" / United States: "Behavior"
Canada: "Analyse" / United States: "Analyze"