Withdrawal Rate Calculator

See how many years a portfolio can sustain withdrawals, given your starting balance, withdrawal amount and return.

Starting balance ($)

Annual withdrawal ($)

Expected annual return (%)

Inflation adjustment (%)

Portfolio lasts0 yrs

Initial withdrawal rate0%

Why the withdrawal rate matters

Your withdrawal rate — the percentage of your portfolio you draw each year — largely determines whether your money outlasts you. This calculator increases withdrawals with inflation each year and depletes the balance at your expected return. If the result shows "50+ years," the portfolio is effectively self-sustaining at that rate.

Sequence-of-returns risk means real outcomes vary; a bad run early in retirement is far more damaging than the same run later. Build a margin of safety into your rate.