How long will my retirement savings last? Calculator inputs, a quick-reference table, and the mistakes that make results look better than they really are.
A how long will my retirement savings last calculator answers one question: if I have saved this much money, if I spend this much money per year, if I earn this much on my investments, how many years will they last? The math is simple. If you give it the wrong numbers, you will not get the right answer.
Start by counting everything you can draw from: 401(k)s, IRAs, savings, and taxable brokerage accounts, including any you hold jointly with a spouse. (If you’re not sure how a joint account is titled, our jt ten meaning explainer covers it.)
Quick answer: how long savings last at different withdrawal rates
Your withdrawal rate is your first-year withdrawal divided by your savings. This table assumes you raise withdrawals with inflation each year and earn the same return, after inflation, every year.
| First-year withdrawal rate | 0% real return | 2% real return | 4% real return |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4% | 25 years | 35 years | Doesn’t run out |
| 5% | 20 years | 26 years | 41 years |
| 6% | 17 years | 20 years | 28 years |
| 8% | 12.5 years | 14.5 years | 18 years |
Figures are rounded and assume end-of-year withdrawals. A 2% real return is roughly what a balanced portfolio might earn after inflation in a cautious scenario. The table’s pattern matters more than any single cell: withdrawal rate moves the answer far more than return assumptions do.
For context, Morningstar’s research puts the highest safe starting withdrawal rate at 3.9% for someone retiring in 2026 who wants steady inflation-adjusted income for 30 years with a 90% chance of not running out.
What to enter in a retirement savings calculator
- Total savings you’ll actually spend from. Leave out home equity unless you plan to sell or downsize.
- Annual spending, minus guaranteed income. Subtract Social Security, pensions, and any annuity payments first. If part of your income comes from fixed yearly installments, such as lottery annuity payments, our lottery annuity calculator can estimate them.
- Expected return. Use a modest figure. If the calculator asks for inflation separately, enter your full expected return there; if not, enter return after inflation.
- Inflation. Around 2.5% to 3% is a common planning assumption.
Leave out an expected inheritance until you’ve received it. If you have, our guide i inherited 100k what should i do covers how to fold it into your plan.
A hypothetical example
A couple has $800,000 saved and spends $60,000 a year. Social Security covers $28,000, so their portfolio needs to supply $32,000, which is a 4% withdrawal rate. Entering $60,000 as spending would make it look like 7.5%, and the calculator would show their money running out about a decade sooner than it should.
What simple calculators miss
Most free calculators assume the same return every year. Real markets don’t work that way, and the order of returns matters. A big drop in the first few years of retirement, while you’re also withdrawing, does more lasting damage than the same drop 15 years in. This is called sequence-of-returns risk.
Monte Carlo calculators run thousands of possible market paths and give a probability of success instead of a single number. They’re worth using once you’re within a few years of retiring.
Mistakes that make results look better than they are
- Using average historical stock returns for a portfolio that holds bonds and cash.
- Forgetting taxes. A traditional 401(k) withdrawal of $40,000 doesn’t give you $40,000 to spend.
- Leaving out healthcare costs before Medicare starts at 65.
- Planning to an average life expectancy. Half of people live longer, so plan for a longer horizon. The Social Security Administration’s life expectancy calculator is a reasonable starting point.
Using the result
Use any how long will my retirement savings last calculator as a first approximation, not a decision. The best leverage will often be during the early years of retirement, followed by claiming Social Security benefits. If it falls long, you just might have more space than you think.
Run the numbers once a year or when a major move occurs in the market. A fee-only financial planner can stress test your numbers without pushing you to buy a product, because they also take taxes, sequence risk, and timing Social Security into your plan.
This article from Windfall Advisors is general information, not financial advice. Projections are estimates, and actual results depend on markets, inflation, and your spending.