Retirement withdrawal calculator
Find out how long your savings will last once you start drawing them down, with withdrawals that rise with inflation and other income that starts later.
Your retirement
Enter your savings, what you plan to spend and what else will come in.
4.00% of your savings
Withdrawals rise by this each year
Social Security, pension or annuity
How many years the money needs to last
Year by year
Spending need, other income and the balance left at the end of each year.
| Age | Withdrawal | Other income | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 65 | $20,000 | none | $504,000 |
| 66 | $20,600 | none | $507,570 |
| 67 | $21,218 | $25,462 | $532,949 |
| 68 | $21,855 | $26,225 | $559,596 |
| 69 | $22,510 | $27,012 | $587,576 |
| 70 | $23,185 | $27,823 | $616,955 |
| 71 | $23,881 | $28,657 | $647,802 |
| 72 | $24,597 | $29,517 | $680,192 |
| 73 | $25,335 | $30,402 | $714,202 |
| 74 | $26,095 | $31,315 | $749,912 |
| 75 | $26,878 | $32,254 | $787,408 |
| 76 | $27,685 | $33,222 | $826,778 |
| 77 | $28,515 | $34,218 | $868,117 |
| 78 | $29,371 | $35,245 | $911,523 |
| 79 | $30,252 | $36,302 | $957,099 |
| 80 | $31,159 | $37,391 | $1,004,954 |
| 81 | $32,094 | $38,513 | $1,055,202 |
| 82 | $33,057 | $39,668 | $1,107,962 |
| 83 | $34,049 | $40,858 | $1,163,360 |
| 84 | $35,070 | $42,084 | $1,221,528 |
| 85 | $36,122 | $43,347 | $1,282,604 |
| 86 | $37,206 | $44,647 | $1,346,734 |
| 87 | $38,322 | $45,986 | $1,414,071 |
| 88 | $39,472 | $47,366 | $1,484,775 |
| 89 | $40,656 | $48,787 | $1,559,013 |
| 90 | $41,876 | $50,251 | $1,636,964 |
| 91 | $43,132 | $51,758 | $1,718,812 |
| 92 | $44,426 | $53,311 | $1,804,753 |
| 93 | $45,759 | $54,910 | $1,894,990 |
| 94 | $47,131 | $56,558 | $1,989,740 |
Compare withdrawal rates
The same savings, return, inflation and other income at four common starting rates.
| Rate | Years funded | Ending balance |
|---|---|---|
| 3%$15,000 | 30+ | $2,032,548 |
| 3.5%$17,500 | 30+ | $2,011,144 |
| 4%$20,000 | 30+ | $1,989,740 |
| 5%$25,000 | 30+ | $1,856,023 |
The figure under each rate is the first-year withdrawal, which then rises with inflation. A plus sign means the money lasts the full 30-year horizon.
Warren provides educational information, not individualized financial, tax or legal advice. Read our disclaimers.
Withdrawal rules of thumb
The 4% rule
Withdraw 4% of your balance in year one and raise that dollar amount with inflation. It comes from William Bengen's 1994 study of US markets, which found this rate survived every 30-year period on record.
Sequence of returns risk
Poor returns in the first few years of retirement hurt far more than the same returns later, because you are selling investments when they are down. A flat average return hides this, so keep a margin.
Flexible spending
Retirees who trim withdrawals by 5% to 10% after a bad market year can safely start at a higher rate. Guardrail rules adjust spending up or down as the balance moves.
Keep two years of cash
Holding one to two years of planned withdrawals in cash or short-term bonds means you are never forced to sell stocks in a downturn to pay the bills.
Frequently asked questions
- How does this calculator decide how long my savings last?
- Each year it takes your spending need (the first-year withdrawal grown by inflation), subtracts any other income such as Social Security or a pension once it starts, and draws the rest from your savings at the start of the year. The remaining balance then grows at your expected return. The money runs out in the first year the balance cannot cover the net withdrawal.
- What is a safe withdrawal rate?
- The classic answer is 4% of your starting balance in year one, then raised with inflation each year. That rule came from US market history and a 30-year horizon. Many planners now suggest 3% to 3.5% for early retirees or long horizons, and up to 5% for shorter horizons or when a pension covers most essentials. Use the comparison table to see how each rate plays out with your numbers.
- What return and inflation should I assume?
- A balanced retirement portfolio of roughly 50% to 60% stocks has historically returned about 5% to 7% a year before inflation, with 2% to 3% inflation. This calculator uses a flat return every year, so it will not show the damage a bad early sequence of returns can do. Test a lower return, such as 3% or 4%, to build in a margin of safety.
- Should I include Social Security or a pension?
- Yes. Other income reduces how much you need from savings, which can add many years to your plan. Enter the annual amount you expect and the age it starts. The calculator assumes that income rises with inflation, which matches Social Security cost-of-living adjustments but may overstate a pension without a COLA.
- Does this account for taxes?
- No. Treat the withdrawal as the gross amount you take out, then plan for taxes from that figure. Withdrawals from traditional 401(k) and IRA accounts are taxed as ordinary income, Roth withdrawals are generally tax free, and taxable brokerage accounts owe capital gains on the growth. Required minimum distributions can also force larger withdrawals after age 73.
Want a retirement income plan built around your accounts?
Warren AI looks at your real balances, Social Security estimate and spending to map out withdrawals that last, including which accounts to draw from first.