$5 million at $500,000 a year, year by year
Starting at 65, the money runs out at age 76. The withdrawal grows 2% a year, so by year 20 it is $728,406; the balance earns 5% on what is left after each withdrawal.
| Year | Age | Balance at start | Withdrawal | Balance at end |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 65 | $5,000,000 | $500,000 | $4,725,000 |
| 2 | 66 | $4,725,000 | $510,000 | $4,425,750 |
| 3 | 67 | $4,425,750 | $520,200 | $4,100,828 |
| 4 | 68 | $4,100,828 | $530,604 | $3,748,735 |
| 5 | 69 | $3,748,735 | $541,216 | $3,367,895 |
| 6 | 70 | $3,367,895 | $552,040 | $2,956,647 |
| 7 | 71 | $2,956,647 | $563,081 | $2,513,244 |
| 8 | 72 | $2,513,244 | $574,343 | $2,035,846 |
| 9 | 73 | $2,035,846 | $585,830 | $1,522,517 |
| 10 | 74 | $1,522,517 | $597,546 | $971,220 |
| 11 | 75 | $971,220 | $609,497 | $379,808 |
| 12 | 76 | $379,808 | $379,808 | $0 |
The odds $5 million lasts at $500,000 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 $500,000 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 | 4% | 4% |
| 25 years | 1% | 2% |
| 30 years | 0% | 1% |
| 35 years | 0% | 0% |
| 40 years | 0% | 0% |
What other returns and inflation do
| Return | No raise | 2% raise | 3% raise |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3% | 12 years | 11 years | 10 years |
| 4% | 13 years | 11 years | 11 years |
| 5% | 14 years | 12 years | 11 years |
| 6% | 15 years | 13 years | 12 years |
| 7% | 16 years | 14 years | 13 years |
With Social Security covering part of it
If Social Security pays part of the $500,000 from some point, the portfolio only pays the rest. Retiring at 65 and claiming at 67 means two years before benefits start; retiring at 62, five.
| Benefit a month | Retire at 62 | Retire at 65 | Retire at 67 |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1,500 | 12 years | 13 years | 13 years |
| $2,000 | 12 years | 13 years | 13 years |
| $2,500 | 13 years | 13 years | 13 years |
Tax on a $500,000 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 | $144,557 | 29% |
| Married, $42,000 of Social Security | $112,976 | 23% |
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 $500,000 a year ($41,667 a month) from $5,000,000, raised 2.0% a year for inflation, at a steady 5.0% return, the money runs out in year 12, around age 76. To make it last exactly 30 years, you could start at $245,927 a year.
Other withdrawals from $5 million
| Withdrawal a year | A month | Lasts |
|---|---|---|
| $150,000 | $12,500 | 60+ years |
| $200,000 | $16,667 | 44 years |
| $250,000 | $20,833 | 30 years |
| $300,000 | $25,000 | 23 years |
| $400,000 | $33,333 | 16 years |
| $500,000 | $41,667 | 12 years |
All withdrawals and the odds on one page: how long $5 million 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.