$350,000 at $20,000 a year, year by year
Starting at 65, the money runs out at age 88. The withdrawal grows 2% a year, so by year 20 it is $29,136; the balance earns 5% on what is left after each withdrawal.
| Year | Age | Balance at start | Withdrawal | Balance at end |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 65 | $350,000 | $20,000 | $346,500 |
| 2 | 66 | $346,500 | $20,400 | $342,405 |
| 3 | 67 | $342,405 | $20,808 | $337,677 |
| 4 | 68 | $337,677 | $21,224 | $332,275 |
| 5 | 69 | $332,275 | $21,649 | $326,158 |
| 6 | 70 | $326,158 | $22,082 | $319,280 |
| 7 | 71 | $319,280 | $22,523 | $311,595 |
| 8 | 72 | $311,595 | $22,974 | $303,052 |
| 9 | 73 | $303,052 | $23,433 | $293,600 |
| 10 | 74 | $293,600 | $23,902 | $283,183 |
| 11 | 75 | $283,183 | $24,380 | $271,743 |
| 12 | 76 | $271,743 | $24,867 | $259,220 |
| 13 | 77 | $259,220 | $25,365 | $245,547 |
| 14 | 78 | $245,547 | $25,872 | $230,659 |
| 15 | 79 | $230,659 | $26,390 | $214,483 |
| 16 | 80 | $214,483 | $26,917 | $196,944 |
| 17 | 81 | $196,944 | $27,456 | $177,963 |
| 18 | 82 | $177,963 | $28,005 | $157,456 |
| 19 | 83 | $157,456 | $28,565 | $135,335 |
| 20 | 84 | $135,335 | $29,136 | $111,509 |
| 21 | 85 | $111,509 | $29,719 | $85,880 |
| 22 | 86 | $85,880 | $30,313 | $58,345 |
| 23 | 87 | $58,345 | $30,920 | $28,796 |
| 24 | 88 | $28,796 | $28,796 | $0 |
The odds $350,000 lasts at $20,000 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 $20,000 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 | 71% | 52% |
| 25 years | 47% | 33% |
| 30 years | 32% | 21% |
| 35 years | 23% | 15% |
| 40 years | 17% | 12% |
What other returns and inflation do
| Return | No raise | 2% raise | 3% raise |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3% | 25 years | 20 years | 18 years |
| 4% | 29 years | 22 years | 20 years |
| 5% | 37 years | 24 years | 22 years |
| 6% | 60+ years | 29 years | 24 years |
| 7% | 60+ years | 36 years | 28 years |
$20,000 a year from other balances
| Balance | Lasts |
|---|---|
| $200,000 | 12 years |
| $250,000 | 16 years |
| $300,000 | 20 years |
| $350,000 | 24 years |
| $400,000 | 30 years |
| $450,000 | 36 years |
| $500,000 | 44 years |
| $600,000 | 60+ years |
Tax on a $20,000 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 $20,000 a year ($1,667 a month) from $350,000, raised 2.0% a year for inflation, at a steady 5.0% return, the money runs out in year 24, around age 88. To make it last exactly 30 years, you could start at $17,215 a year.
Other withdrawals from $350,000
| Withdrawal a year | A month | Lasts |
|---|---|---|
| $12,000 | $1,000 | 60+ years |
| $15,000 | $1,250 | 38 years |
| $20,000 | $1,667 | 24 years |
| $25,000 | $2,083 | 18 years |
| $30,000 | $2,500 | 14 years |
All withdrawals and the odds on one page: how long $350,000 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.