$900,000 at $50,000 a year, year by year
Starting at 65, the money runs out at age 89. The withdrawal grows 2% a year, so by year 20 it is $72,841; the balance earns 5% on what is left after each withdrawal.
| Year | Age | Balance at start | Withdrawal | Balance at end |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 65 | $900,000 | $50,000 | $892,500 |
| 2 | 66 | $892,500 | $51,000 | $883,575 |
| 3 | 67 | $883,575 | $52,020 | $873,133 |
| 4 | 68 | $873,133 | $53,060 | $861,076 |
| 5 | 69 | $861,076 | $54,122 | $847,302 |
| 6 | 70 | $847,302 | $55,204 | $831,703 |
| 7 | 71 | $831,703 | $56,308 | $814,165 |
| 8 | 72 | $814,165 | $57,434 | $794,567 |
| 9 | 73 | $794,567 | $58,583 | $772,783 |
| 10 | 74 | $772,783 | $59,755 | $748,680 |
| 11 | 75 | $748,680 | $60,950 | $722,117 |
| 12 | 76 | $722,117 | $62,169 | $692,945 |
| 13 | 77 | $692,945 | $63,412 | $661,010 |
| 14 | 78 | $661,010 | $64,680 | $626,146 |
| 15 | 79 | $626,146 | $65,974 | $588,181 |
| 16 | 80 | $588,181 | $67,293 | $546,932 |
| 17 | 81 | $546,932 | $68,639 | $502,207 |
| 18 | 82 | $502,207 | $70,012 | $453,805 |
| 19 | 83 | $453,805 | $71,412 | $401,512 |
| 20 | 84 | $401,512 | $72,841 | $345,105 |
| 21 | 85 | $345,105 | $74,297 | $284,348 |
| 22 | 86 | $284,348 | $75,783 | $218,993 |
| 23 | 87 | $218,993 | $77,299 | $148,779 |
| 24 | 88 | $148,779 | $78,845 | $73,430 |
| 25 | 89 | $73,430 | $73,430 | $0 |
The odds $900,000 lasts at $50,000 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 $50,000 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 | 74% | 55% |
| 25 years | 51% | 36% |
| 30 years | 36% | 23% |
| 35 years | 26% | 16% |
| 40 years | 19% | 13% |
What other returns and inflation do
| Return | No raise | 2% raise | 3% raise |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3% | 26 years | 20 years | 18 years |
| 4% | 31 years | 22 years | 20 years |
| 5% | 40 years | 25 years | 22 years |
| 6% | 60+ years | 30 years | 25 years |
| 7% | 60+ years | 39 years | 30 years |
With Social Security covering part of it
If Social Security pays part of the $50,000 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 | 45 years | 51 years | 57 years |
| $2,000 | 60+ years | 60+ years | 60+ years |
| $2,500 | 60+ years | 60+ years | 60+ years |
Tax on a $50,000 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 | $5,302 | 11% |
| Married, $42,000 of Social Security | $3,278 | 7% |
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 $50,000 a year ($4,167 a month) from $900,000, raised 2.0% a year for inflation, at a steady 5.0% return, the money runs out in year 25, around age 89. To make it last exactly 30 years, you could start at $44,267 a year.
Other withdrawals from $900,000
| Withdrawal a year | A month | Lasts |
|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $2,500 | 60+ years |
| $40,000 | $3,333 | 36 years |
| $50,000 | $4,167 | 25 years |
| $60,000 | $5,000 | 20 years |
| $70,000 | $5,833 | 16 years |
| $80,000 | $6,667 | 14 years |
All withdrawals and the odds on one page: how long $900,000 lasts. The same $50,000 a year from $500,000, $600,000, $700,000, $750,000, $800,000, $1 million, $1.25 million or $1.5 million.
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.