$300,000 at $12,000 a year, year by year
Starting at 65, the money runs out at age 108. The withdrawal grows 2% a year, so by year 20 it is $17,482; the balance earns 5% on what is left after each withdrawal.
| Year | Age | Balance at start | Withdrawal | Balance at end |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 65 | $300,000 | $12,000 | $302,400 |
| 2 | 66 | $302,400 | $12,240 | $304,668 |
| 3 | 67 | $304,668 | $12,485 | $306,792 |
| 4 | 68 | $306,792 | $12,734 | $308,761 |
| 5 | 69 | $308,761 | $12,989 | $310,560 |
| 6 | 70 | $310,560 | $13,249 | $312,177 |
| 7 | 71 | $312,177 | $13,514 | $313,596 |
| 8 | 72 | $313,596 | $13,784 | $314,802 |
| 9 | 73 | $314,802 | $14,060 | $315,779 |
| 10 | 74 | $315,779 | $14,341 | $316,510 |
| 11 | 75 | $316,510 | $14,628 | $316,976 |
| 12 | 76 | $316,976 | $14,920 | $317,159 |
| 13 | 77 | $317,159 | $15,219 | $317,037 |
| 14 | 78 | $317,037 | $15,523 | $316,589 |
| 15 | 79 | $316,589 | $15,834 | $315,793 |
| 16 | 80 | $315,793 | $16,150 | $314,625 |
| 17 | 81 | $314,625 | $16,473 | $313,059 |
| 18 | 82 | $313,059 | $16,803 | $311,069 |
| 19 | 83 | $311,069 | $17,139 | $308,627 |
| 20 | 84 | $308,627 | $17,482 | $305,702 |
| 21 | 85 | $305,702 | $17,831 | $302,264 |
| 22 | 86 | $302,264 | $18,188 | $298,280 |
| 23 | 87 | $298,280 | $18,552 | $293,715 |
| 24 | 88 | $293,715 | $18,923 | $288,532 |
| 25 | 89 | $288,532 | $19,301 | $282,692 |
| 26 | 90 | $282,692 | $19,687 | $276,155 |
| 27 | 91 | $276,155 | $20,081 | $268,878 |
| 28 | 92 | $268,878 | $20,483 | $260,815 |
| 29 | 93 | $260,815 | $20,892 | $251,918 |
| 30 | 94 | $251,918 | $21,310 | $242,139 |
| 31 | 95 | $242,139 | $21,736 | $231,423 |
| 32 | 96 | $231,423 | $22,171 | $219,714 |
| 33 | 97 | $219,714 | $22,614 | $206,955 |
| 34 | 98 | $206,955 | $23,067 | $193,082 |
| 35 | 99 | $193,082 | $23,528 | $178,032 |
| 36 | 100 | $178,032 | $23,999 | $161,735 |
| 37 | 101 | $161,735 | $24,479 | $144,119 |
| 38 | 102 | $144,119 | $24,968 | $125,108 |
| 39 | 103 | $125,108 | $25,468 | $104,623 |
| 40 | 104 | $104,623 | $25,977 | $82,578 |
The odds $300,000 lasts at $12,000 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 $12,000 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 | 95% | 85% |
| 25 years | 87% | 68% |
| 30 years | 77% | 53% |
| 35 years | 66% | 42% |
| 40 years | 58% | 36% |
What other returns and inflation do
| Return | No raise | 2% raise | 3% raise |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3% | 45 years | 29 years | 25 years |
| 4% | 60+ years | 34 years | 29 years |
| 5% | 60+ years | 44 years | 34 years |
| 6% | 60+ years | 60+ years | 43 years |
| 7% | 60+ years | 60+ years | 60+ years |
$12,000 a year from other balances
| Balance | Lasts |
|---|---|
| $150,000 | 16 years |
| $200,000 | 23 years |
| $250,000 | 32 years |
| $300,000 | 44 years |
| $350,000 | 60+ years |
| $400,000 | 60+ years |
Tax on a $12,000 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 $12,000 a year ($1,000 a month) from $300,000, raised 2.0% a year for inflation, at a steady 5.0% return, the money runs out in year 44, around age 108. To make it last exactly 30 years, you could start at $14,756 a year.
Other withdrawals from $300,000
| Withdrawal a year | A month | Lasts |
|---|---|---|
| $10,000 | $833 | 60+ years |
| $12,000 | $1,000 | 44 years |
| $15,000 | $1,250 | 30 years |
| $20,000 | $1,667 | 20 years |
| $25,000 | $2,083 | 15 years |
| $30,000 | $2,500 | 12 years |
All withdrawals and the odds on one page: how long $300,000 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.