$100,000 at $5,000 a year, year by year
Starting at 65, the money runs out at age 94. The withdrawal grows 2% a year, so by year 20 it is $7,284; the balance earns 5% on what is left after each withdrawal.
| Year | Age | Balance at start | Withdrawal | Balance at end |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 65 | $100,000 | $5,000 | $99,750 |
| 2 | 66 | $99,750 | $5,100 | $99,383 |
| 3 | 67 | $99,383 | $5,202 | $98,890 |
| 4 | 68 | $98,890 | $5,306 | $98,263 |
| 5 | 69 | $98,263 | $5,412 | $97,493 |
| 6 | 70 | $97,493 | $5,520 | $96,571 |
| 7 | 71 | $96,571 | $5,631 | $95,487 |
| 8 | 72 | $95,487 | $5,743 | $94,231 |
| 9 | 73 | $94,231 | $5,858 | $92,792 |
| 10 | 74 | $92,792 | $5,975 | $91,157 |
| 11 | 75 | $91,157 | $6,095 | $89,315 |
| 12 | 76 | $89,315 | $6,217 | $87,253 |
| 13 | 77 | $87,253 | $6,341 | $84,957 |
| 14 | 78 | $84,957 | $6,468 | $82,414 |
| 15 | 79 | $82,414 | $6,597 | $79,607 |
| 16 | 80 | $79,607 | $6,729 | $76,522 |
| 17 | 81 | $76,522 | $6,864 | $73,141 |
| 18 | 82 | $73,141 | $7,001 | $69,447 |
| 19 | 83 | $69,447 | $7,141 | $65,421 |
| 20 | 84 | $65,421 | $7,284 | $61,043 |
| 21 | 85 | $61,043 | $7,430 | $56,294 |
| 22 | 86 | $56,294 | $7,578 | $51,152 |
| 23 | 87 | $51,152 | $7,730 | $45,593 |
| 24 | 88 | $45,593 | $7,884 | $39,594 |
| 25 | 89 | $39,594 | $8,042 | $33,129 |
| 26 | 90 | $33,129 | $8,203 | $26,173 |
| 27 | 91 | $26,173 | $8,367 | $18,696 |
| 28 | 92 | $18,696 | $8,534 | $10,670 |
| 29 | 93 | $10,670 | $8,705 | $2,063 |
| 30 | 94 | $2,063 | $2,063 | $0 |
The odds $100,000 lasts at $5,000 a year
Returns arrive in a random order, and a few bad years early do the most damage. In 1,000 simulated markets, this is the share in which $5,000 a year, rising with inflation, still leaves money in the account after each number of years.
| For | Trinity-style (7%, 12%) | Cautious (5%, 15%) |
|---|---|---|
| 20 years | 85% | 67% |
| 25 years | 65% | 45% |
| 30 years | 49% | 33% |
| 35 years | 39% | 24% |
| 40 years | 31% | 18% |
What other returns and inflation do
| Return | No raise | 2% raise | 3% raise |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3% | 30 years | 23 years | 20 years |
| 4% | 38 years | 26 years | 23 years |
| 5% | 60+ years | 30 years | 25 years |
| 6% | 60+ years | 37 years | 30 years |
| 7% | 60+ years | 57 years | 37 years |
$5,000 a year from other balances
| Balance | Lasts |
|---|---|
| $100,000 | 30 years |
| $150,000 | 60+ years |
Tax on a $5,000 withdrawal
From a traditional 401(k) or IRA, the whole withdrawal is ordinary income, and it can make more of your Social Security taxable. Federal tax it adds at 65 on 2026 rules, estimates:
| Household | Federal tax | Share of the withdrawal |
|---|---|---|
| Single, $24,000 of Social Security | $0 | 0% |
| Married, $42,000 of Social Security | $0 | 0% |
Roth withdrawals after 59½ and a five-year holding period are tax-free; money in a taxable account is taxed only on the gains. The retirement tax calculator adds state tax.
The calculator, set to these numbers
Taking $5,000 a year ($417 a month) from $100,000, raised 2.0% a year for inflation, at a steady 5.0% return, the money runs out in year 30, around age 94. To make it last exactly 30 years, you could start at $4,919 a year.
Other withdrawals from $100,000
| Withdrawal a year | A month | Lasts |
|---|---|---|
| $5,000 | $417 | 30 years |
| $8,000 | $667 | 16 years |
| $10,000 | $833 | 12 years |
All withdrawals and the odds on one page: how long $100,000 lasts.
How it is worked out
The steady-return figures are the how-long calculator’s own math: the withdrawal comes out at the start of each year, the rest earns the return, and the next withdrawal is 2% larger to keep up with inflation. Real markets do not return the same every year, so the odds come from 1,000 simulated sequences of yearly returns: Trinity-style (7% average, 12% volatility, 3% inflation) and cautious (5%, 15%, 2%). Taxes and fees are not taken out; take them from the withdrawal you enter. More on the method on the methodology page.