$100,000 at $8,000 a year, year by year
Starting at 65, the money runs out at age 80. The withdrawal grows 2% a year, so by year 20 it is $11,654; the balance earns 5% on what is left after each withdrawal.
| Year | Age | Balance at start | Withdrawal | Balance at end |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 65 | $100,000 | $8,000 | $96,600 |
| 2 | 66 | $96,600 | $8,160 | $92,862 |
| 3 | 67 | $92,862 | $8,323 | $88,766 |
| 4 | 68 | $88,766 | $8,490 | $84,290 |
| 5 | 69 | $84,290 | $8,659 | $79,412 |
| 6 | 70 | $79,412 | $8,833 | $74,108 |
| 7 | 71 | $74,108 | $9,009 | $68,354 |
| 8 | 72 | $68,354 | $9,189 | $62,123 |
| 9 | 73 | $62,123 | $9,373 | $55,387 |
| 10 | 74 | $55,387 | $9,561 | $48,117 |
| 11 | 75 | $48,117 | $9,752 | $40,284 |
| 12 | 76 | $40,284 | $9,947 | $31,854 |
| 13 | 77 | $31,854 | $10,146 | $22,793 |
| 14 | 78 | $22,793 | $10,349 | $13,066 |
| 15 | 79 | $13,066 | $10,556 | $2,636 |
| 16 | 80 | $2,636 | $2,636 | $0 |
The odds $100,000 lasts at $8,000 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 $8,000 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 | 21% | 16% |
| 25 years | 10% | 8% |
| 30 years | 4% | 4% |
| 35 years | 3% | 3% |
| 40 years | 2% | 2% |
What other returns and inflation do
| Return | No raise | 2% raise | 3% raise |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3% | 16 years | 14 years | 13 years |
| 4% | 17 years | 15 years | 14 years |
| 5% | 19 years | 16 years | 15 years |
| 6% | 22 years | 17 years | 16 years |
| 7% | 26 years | 19 years | 17 years |
$8,000 a year from other balances
| Balance | Lasts |
|---|---|
| $100,000 | 16 years |
| $150,000 | 27 years |
| $200,000 | 44 years |
| $250,000 | 60+ years |
Tax on an $8,000 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 $8,000 a year ($667 a month) from $100,000, raised 2.0% a year for inflation, at a steady 5.0% return, the money runs out in year 16, around age 80. 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.