Use this free retirement longevity calculator to estimate how many years your savings will last based on your starting balance, monthly withdrawal amount, expected annual return, and inflation rate. Enter your numbers to see a year-by-year projection of your retirement portfolio.
The four key variables are your starting balance, your monthly withdrawal rate, your expected investment return, and inflation. Withdrawing $4,000/month from a $1 million portfolio at a 5% annual return with 3% inflation will last significantly longer than the same balance with $6,000/month withdrawals.
Financial research commonly cites a 4% annual withdrawal rate as a historically sustainable level for a 30-year retirement. At this rate, a $1 million portfolio supports roughly $40,000/year ($3,333/month) in inflation-adjusted withdrawals. Many advisors today recommend 3–3.5% given longer life expectancies and current market conditions.
One way to ensure your money never runs out is to convert a portion of savings into guaranteed lifetime income through a fixed annuity or immediate annuity. This removes longevity risk — the risk of outliving your savings — from your plan entirely.
Want a personalized analysis? Connect with a licensed SafeMoney advisor who can build a detailed income plan tailored to your retirement goals.