How this calculator works
Each month your savings earn your expected return and your withdrawal comes out. Once a year the withdrawal rises with inflation. The calculator counts the months until the balance runs out.
Worked example
With the example values below: Your money lasts, 21 yrs 9 mos (withdrawing $4,000 a month to start). Change any number above to run your own.
What you enter
| Input | Example |
|---|---|
| Savings | $800,000 |
| Monthly withdrawal | $4,000 |
| Annual return | 5% |
| Raise withdrawals for inflation | 2.5% |
Frequently asked questions
How long will $1 million last in retirement?
Withdrawing $4,000 a month, raised 2.5% a year for inflation, with a 5% annual return, $1 million lasts about 29 years and 7 months. Withdrawing less, or earning more, stretches it further; at about $4,070 a month with no inflation raises, the principal is never touched.
What is the 4% rule?
A guideline that withdrawing 4% of your savings in the first year of retirement, then raising that amount with inflation each year, has historically lasted at least 30 years in most market conditions. On $1 million that's $40,000 in the first year.
Why does inflation matter for how long my money lasts?
Your withdrawals have to rise over time to buy the same things. At 2.5% inflation, a $4,000 monthly budget needs about $5,120 a month after 10 years, which drains savings faster than a flat withdrawal would.
Grow what this calculator projects.
TruthSayer AI sends quantitative stock signals across valuations, earnings and dark-pool activity, each one traded in its own funded account first.
Estimates for planning only, not financial, tax or legal advice. Tax tools use 2026 federal figures (brackets, $16,100 / $32,200 standard deduction, $19,000 gift exclusion, $15M lifetime exemption). Rates shown as defaults are examples; replace them with quotes you actually receive.