$600,000 at $30,000 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 $43,704; the balance earns 5% on what is left after each withdrawal.
| Year | Age | Balance at start | Withdrawal | Balance at end |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 65 | $600,000 | $30,000 | $598,500 |
| 2 | 66 | $598,500 | $30,600 | $596,295 |
| 3 | 67 | $596,295 | $31,212 | $593,337 |
| 4 | 68 | $593,337 | $31,836 | $589,576 |
| 5 | 69 | $589,576 | $32,473 | $584,958 |
| 6 | 70 | $584,958 | $33,122 | $579,428 |
| 7 | 71 | $579,428 | $33,785 | $572,925 |
| 8 | 72 | $572,925 | $34,461 | $565,387 |
| 9 | 73 | $565,387 | $35,150 | $556,749 |
| 10 | 74 | $556,749 | $35,853 | $546,942 |
| 11 | 75 | $546,942 | $36,570 | $535,890 |
| 12 | 76 | $535,890 | $37,301 | $523,519 |
| 13 | 77 | $523,519 | $38,047 | $509,745 |
| 14 | 78 | $509,745 | $38,808 | $494,483 |
| 15 | 79 | $494,483 | $39,584 | $477,644 |
| 16 | 80 | $477,644 | $40,376 | $459,131 |
| 17 | 81 | $459,131 | $41,184 | $438,845 |
| 18 | 82 | $438,845 | $42,007 | $416,680 |
| 19 | 83 | $416,680 | $42,847 | $392,524 |
| 20 | 84 | $392,524 | $43,704 | $366,261 |
| 21 | 85 | $366,261 | $44,578 | $337,766 |
| 22 | 86 | $337,766 | $45,470 | $306,911 |
| 23 | 87 | $306,911 | $46,379 | $273,559 |
| 24 | 88 | $273,559 | $47,307 | $237,564 |
| 25 | 89 | $237,564 | $48,253 | $198,777 |
| 26 | 90 | $198,777 | $49,218 | $157,036 |
| 27 | 91 | $157,036 | $50,203 | $112,175 |
| 28 | 92 | $112,175 | $51,207 | $64,017 |
| 29 | 93 | $64,017 | $52,231 | $12,376 |
| 30 | 94 | $12,376 | $12,376 | $0 |
The odds $600,000 lasts at $30,000 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 $30,000 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 |
$30,000 a year from other balances
| Balance | Lasts |
|---|---|
| $300,000 | 12 years |
| $350,000 | 14 years |
| $400,000 | 17 years |
| $450,000 | 20 years |
| $500,000 | 23 years |
| $600,000 | 30 years |
| $700,000 | 38 years |
| $750,000 | 44 years |
| $800,000 | 50 years |
| $900,000 | 60+ years |
| $1 million | 60+ years |
Tax on a $30,000 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 | $1,810 | 6% |
| 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 $30,000 a year ($2,500 a month) from $600,000, 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 $29,511 a year.
Other withdrawals from $600,000
| Withdrawal a year | A month | Lasts |
|---|---|---|
| $20,000 | $1,667 | 60+ years |
| $25,000 | $2,083 | 40 years |
| $30,000 | $2,500 | 30 years |
| $40,000 | $3,333 | 20 years |
| $50,000 | $4,167 | 15 years |
| $60,000 | $5,000 | 12 years |
All withdrawals and the odds on one page: how long $600,000 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.