Use this How Long Will My Money Last Calculator to estimate how many years your retirement savings may support your spending. Adjust your portfolio, retirement expenses, other income, expected return, and inflation assumptions to explore different scenarios.
Your estimated annual living expenses in today's dollars.
Optional. For example, Social Security, a pension, or other recurring income.
Nominal annual return before inflation.
Used to increase spending over time.
How this is calculated: Each projected year applies the expected investment return to the remaining portfolio and then subtracts that year's retirement spending after other recurring income. Spending and other income are adjusted using the inflation assumption. The process repeats until the portfolio reaches zero or the selected projection period ends.
How to Use the How Long Will My Money Last Calculator
Use this How Long Will My Money Last Calculator to estimate how many years your savings may last based on your current balance, annual spending, investment returns, inflation, and recurring retirement income.
Next, choose an expected annual investment return, an inflation assumption, and the number of years you want to test. The calculator projects your portfolio forward and estimates whether your savings remain available throughout that period.
How Long Will My Money Last in Retirement?
The answer depends on four main variables: how much you have invested, how much you withdraw, how your investments perform, and how your expenses change over time. Small changes in any of those assumptions can create very different long-term results.
That is why this calculator is best used for scenario planning. Try several combinations instead of relying on a single result. For example, compare a lower expected return, higher inflation, or higher spending to see how much margin your plan has.
Example: How Long Could $800,000 Last?
Starting savings: $800,000
Annual spending: $40,000
Other retirement income: $0
Expected annual return: 5%
Inflation: 3%
Change these assumptions in the calculator above to see how the projected retirement runway changes.
What Determines How Long Your Retirement Money Will Last?
- Your spending. Higher withdrawals reduce the amount that remains invested and shorten the modeled retirement runway.
- Investment returns. Higher returns can extend portfolio longevity, but real returns are unpredictable.
- Inflation. Rising prices increase the amount of money required to maintain the same lifestyle.
- Other income. Social Security, pensions, and other recurring income can reduce the amount you need to withdraw from investments.
- Sequence of returns. Poor market performance early in retirement can have a greater effect than the same losses occurring later. This simplified calculator does not simulate changing annual market returns.
How This Differs From the FIRE Calculator
The FIRE Calculator estimates how large your portfolio may need to become before you reach Financial Independence. This calculator answers a different question: once you have a portfolio, how long might it support your retirement spending under the assumptions you choose?
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will $500,000 last in retirement?
It depends on your annual withdrawals, investment returns, inflation, taxes, and other retirement income. Someone withdrawing $20,000 per year from $500,000 has a very different starting withdrawal rate from someone withdrawing $40,000. Enter your own assumptions above rather than relying on a single rule of thumb.
What is the 4% rule?
The 4% rule is a historical retirement-planning guideline based on taking an initial withdrawal equal to roughly 4% of a portfolio and subsequently adjusting spending for inflation. It is a reference point rather than a guarantee, and appropriate withdrawal levels depend on the portfolio, retirement horizon, market conditions, and spending flexibility.
Does this calculator include Social Security or a pension?
Yes. Enter expected recurring retirement income in the “Other annual retirement income” field. The calculator subtracts that income from planned annual spending before estimating portfolio withdrawals.
Does this calculator account for inflation?
Yes. The inflation assumption increases both spending and recurring retirement income during the projection. The investment-return input is therefore entered as a nominal return before inflation.
Does this calculator model stock market crashes?
No. It applies the same expected return each year. Actual market returns vary significantly, and the order in which gains and losses occur can materially affect retirement outcomes. Use the result as a simplified planning scenario, not a forecast.
Related Calculators
If you are still building your retirement portfolio, use the FIRE Calculator to estimate your Financial Independence target, the Coast FIRE Calculator to see whether your current investments may be able to grow toward retirement on their own, or the Savings Rate Calculator to measure how much of your income you are currently saving.
Sources and Further Reading
Retirement withdrawal research includes William Bengen's historical withdrawal-rate work and subsequent research reviewing sustainable retirement spending. Current retirement-income research continues to emphasize that sustainable withdrawal rates depend on assumptions and market conditions.
William Bengen — Determining Withdrawal Rates Using Historical Data
Morningstar — Retirement Income Research
Independence Compass — The 4% Rule Explained: How Much You Really Need to Retire