Retirement Withdrawal Calculator
See how long your savings will last, and your Required Minimum Distribution.
- How long will my retirement savings last?
- It depends on your balance, expected return, and how much you withdraw each year — a withdrawal rate that stays below your investment growth can last indefinitely, while a higher one draws the balance down over time. This calculator projects your specific numbers year by year, including any Required Minimum Distribution.
- What is a Required Minimum Distribution (RMD)?
- The minimum amount the IRS requires you to withdraw each year from a Traditional 401(k) or IRA once you reach RMD age (73 for most owners under SECURE 2.0), calculated as your account balance divided by an IRS life-expectancy factor. Roth IRAs and, as of 2024, Roth 401(k)s are not subject to owner RMDs.
Enter your numbers and press Calculate to see your results.
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How Long Will Your Retirement Savings Last?
This calculator projects a retirement account balance forward year by year as you take withdrawals, growing what remains at an assumed rate of return. Each year it withdraws the larger of your planned amount or that year’s Required Minimum Distribution, once RMDs apply, so you can see both how long your money lasts and when the IRS will require you to take more than you planned.
The RMD figures use the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table, the table most account owners use. It divides your account balance by a life-expectancy factor that shrinks each year, which is why the required withdrawal — as a percentage of the balance — rises with age even if the dollar amount doesn’t always increase.
The four scenario rows compare common fixed withdrawal rates (3%, 4%, 5%, 6% of your starting balance) side by side, so you can see how a more conservative or more aggressive withdrawal rate changes how long the same balance is projected to last.
How this is calculated
Withdrawal = max(planned amount, RMD if applicable); RMD = balance ÷ IRS Uniform Lifetime Table divisor for age; remaining balance grows at the expected return.
Assumptions
- Required Minimum Distributions use the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table and start at age 73 (SECURE 2.0) — the age that applies to most owners; those born in 1960 or later have a start age of 75, not modeled separately here.
- Each year, the planned withdrawal (or the RMD if larger, once RMDs apply) is taken first, then the remaining balance earns the expected return for the rest of the year.
- Roth accounts are modeled with no owner RMDs, matching the SECURE 2.0 repeal of Roth 401(k) RMDs.
- A fixed return every year is a simplification — real markets vary year to year, which changes how long savings actually last.
Frequently asked questions
When do RMDs start?
Do Roth accounts have RMDs?
What happens if my planned withdrawal is already above my RMD?
Why does the calculator assume a constant return every year?
Is there a penalty for missing an RMD?
What should you calculate next?
Retirement Withdrawal Calculator answers one part of the picture. These pick up where it leaves off.
This calculator provides estimates for educational purposes only and is not personalized financial advice. Rates, taxes, and financial products change — verify with providers and qualified professionals.