How Long Will My Savings Last?
Project how long a balance survives once you start drawing on it.
Your savings plan
Scenario
Presets fill the assumptions below. Adjust any of them afterwards.
Returns are not guaranteed.
Keeps withdrawals rising with prices.
Savings may last about
16.3 years
Projected to run out around age 81.3.
Projection detail
Balance at each year end
| Year | Balance |
|---|---|
| 1 | $484,959 |
| 2 | $468,349 |
| 3 | $450,078 |
| 4 | $430,051 |
| 5 | $408,168 |
| 6 | $384,324 |
| 7 | $358,408 |
| 8 | $330,304 |
| 9 | $299,891 |
| 10 | $267,043 |
| 11 | $231,624 |
| 12 | $193,496 |
| 13 | $152,512 |
| 14 | $108,517 |
| 15 | $61,350 |
| 16 | $10,842 |
Returns are assumptions, not guarantees. Actual results depend on market performance, fees, taxes and the timing of withdrawals.
What this calculator does
Retirement savings do not run down in a straight line. Withdrawals come out, returns go in, fees come off, and the amount you need usually rises each year as prices do. This projection runs those forces month by month and reports when the balance reaches zero.
The result is a projection, not a prediction. Real returns arrive in an unpredictable order, and a bad first few years affects the outcome far more than the same returns arriving later.
How the maths works
- Start from your current balance.
- Each month, subtract the withdrawal and apply the monthly share of the annual return, net of fees.
- Each year, increase the withdrawal by the rate you set, so spending keeps pace with prices.
- Continue until the balance is exhausted or the projection horizon is reached.
- Report how long the money lasted and, if applicable, the age at which it ran out.
Frequently asked questions
- Why does a small change to the return move the answer so much?
- Because the effect compounds over decades, and because withdrawals continue regardless. That sensitivity is the point of the tool: if the plan only works at an optimistic return, it is worth knowing.
- What do the Conservative and Moderate scenarios do?
- They fill in the assumption fields with lower or middling figures. They are starting points, not recommendations, and every value stays editable afterwards.
- Does this account for taxes?
- No. Withdrawals are treated as gross figures. Tax treatment depends on the account type and your circumstances, and this tool does not provide tax advice.
- What if my withdrawal is larger than the balance?
- The projection reports that the balance is exhausted immediately rather than producing a negative number. The calculation is also capped so no combination of inputs can run indefinitely.
Investment returns are not guaranteed. This projection assumes a steady return, which real markets do not provide, and actual outcomes will differ.
This calculator produces an educational estimate only. It is not financial, tax or legal advice.
You may have enough retirement assets to begin evaluating an income strategy.
See how a portion of retirement savings might be converted into more predictable retirement income. Figures shown are illustrative planning scenarios, not carrier quotes.