Introduction
This retirement withdrawal calculator helps you figure out how long your savings will last after you stop working. Enter your total savings, how much you plan to spend each month, and any income you expect from Social Security, a pension, or other sources. The calculator runs a year-by-year simulation to show when your money could run out — or if it will last through your full retirement.
You will also see your safe withdrawal rate, a step-by-step breakdown of the math, a chart of your portfolio balance over time, and a detailed schedule of every year (or month) in retirement. Use the advanced settings to adjust for investment returns, inflation, and compounding frequency. Whether you are already retired or still planning ahead, this tool gives you a clear picture of your financial future.
How to Use Our Retirement Withdrawal Calculator
Enter your savings, income, and spending details below. The calculator will show how long your money may last, how much you can withdraw each year, and whether your plan is on track.
Retirement Savings Balance: Enter the total amount you have saved for retirement. This includes money in your 401(k), IRA, brokerage accounts, and any other savings you plan to use.
Monthly Income Needed: Enter the total amount you expect to spend each month in retirement. This is your gross monthly spending goal before any income sources are subtracted. If you need help organizing your expenses, try our budget calculator.
Monthly Social Security: Enter the Social Security benefit you expect to receive each month. If you are unsure, the national average is about $1,924 per month in 2026.
Monthly Pension Income: Enter any monthly pension payments you expect to receive. If you do not have a pension, leave this at $0.
Other Monthly Income: Enter any other monthly income you expect in retirement. This can include rental income, annuity payments, part-time work, or trust distributions.
Years in Retirement: Enter how many years you expect to be retired. This is the total number of years your savings need to support you. You can enter between 1 and 60 years. If you need help estimating your retirement length, our life expectancy calculator can be a useful starting point.
Years Until Retirement: Enter how many years from now until you retire. This is used to convert future dollars into today's dollars so you can see what your withdrawals are worth right now. Our present value calculator explains this concept in more detail.
Desired Remaining Balance: Enter how much money you want to have left at the end of retirement. Set this to $0 if you plan to spend it all. Set a higher number if you want to leave money behind.
Annual Income Increase (Spending): Found under Advanced Settings. Enter the percentage your spending is expected to grow each year. This accounts for rising costs over time. You can explore historical trends with our CPI inflation calculator.
Social Security Increase (COLA): Found under Advanced Settings. Enter the yearly cost-of-living adjustment you expect on your Social Security benefits.
Pension Increase (COLA): Found under Advanced Settings. Enter the yearly cost-of-living adjustment you expect on your pension payments.
Other Income Increase: Found under Advanced Settings. Enter the percentage your other income sources are expected to grow each year.
Annual Investment Return: Found under Advanced Settings. Enter the yearly return you expect your remaining savings to earn while invested during retirement. Our APY calculator can help you compare returns across different accounts.
Compounding Frequency: Found under Advanced Settings. Choose how often your investment return is applied. Options include daily, monthly, quarterly, semiannually, or annually. Learn more about how compounding works with our compound interest calculator.
Annual Inflation Rate: Enter the rate at which prices are expected to rise each year. This is used to show values in today's dollars. You can check recent inflation data using our inflation calculator.
Adjust Remaining Balance for Inflation: Found under Advanced Settings. Turn this on if you want your desired remaining balance to keep up with inflation. This treats your target as today's dollars and increases it to match future prices. Our future value calculator can show you how inflation erodes purchasing power over time.
What Is a Retirement Withdrawal Calculator?
A retirement withdrawal calculator helps you figure out how long your savings will last after you stop working. It looks at the money you have saved, the money you plan to spend each month, and any income you get from Social Security, a pension, or other sources. Then it shows you, year by year, how your balance changes over time. For a broader look at whether you are saving enough, our retirement calculator can help you plan the accumulation phase as well.
How Retirement Withdrawals Work
When you retire, you stop earning a paycheck. Instead, you pull money out of your savings accounts — like a 401(k) or IRA — to pay for things you need. This is called a withdrawal. The goal is to take out enough to live on without running out of money too soon. If you are subject to required minimum distributions, our RMD calculator can help you determine the minimum amount you must withdraw each year.
Your savings don't just sit still, though. The money left in your accounts can still earn interest or grow from investments. At the same time, inflation makes everything cost a little more each year. A good withdrawal plan balances what you take out against what your money earns so your funds last as long as you need them. Our how long will my money last calculator provides another way to stress-test your drawdown plan.
The 4% Rule
A common guideline in retirement planning is the 4% rule. It says that if you withdraw about 4% of your savings in your first year of retirement and adjust that amount for inflation each year after, your money has a strong chance of lasting 30 years. A withdrawal rate below 4% is generally safer. A rate above 4% carries more risk of running out early. This calculator shows your withdrawal rate so you can see where you stand. If you are pursuing early retirement, our FIRE calculator can help you determine the savings target you need to reach financial independence.
Why Fixed Income Matters
Not all of your retirement spending has to come from savings. Social Security, pensions, and other steady income sources cover part of your expenses. The more your fixed income covers, the less you need to pull from your portfolio. This calculator subtracts your fixed income from your spending needs and only withdraws the difference from your savings. An annuity calculator can help you evaluate whether purchasing an annuity to increase your guaranteed income makes sense for your situation.
Key Things That Affect Your Results
- How much you have saved — A larger balance gives you more to draw from. Use our net worth calculator to get a complete picture of your assets and liabilities before retirement.
- How much you spend — Lower spending makes your money last longer.
- Investment returns — Earnings on your remaining balance help it grow, even as you withdraw. The Rule of 72 calculator is a quick way to estimate how fast your money doubles at a given rate of return.
- Inflation — Rising prices mean you need more money each year to buy the same things.
- How long you need the money — A longer retirement means your savings must stretch further.
By adjusting these inputs, you can test different scenarios and find a withdrawal plan that fits your needs. The earlier you plan, the more options you have to make your retirement savings last. If you are still in the saving phase, our Coast FIRE calculator can show you whether your current savings are enough to grow on their own by the time you retire.