# Retirement Withdrawal Calculator > Find the safe monthly withdrawal from your retirement savings. Models returns, inflation and taxes, and solves the maximum you can take for 20, 25 or 30 years. Source: https://savingslast.com/retirement-withdrawal-calculator/ Markdown: https://savingslast.com/retirement-withdrawal-calculator.md Site: SavingsLast, free retirement drawdown calculators. Educational estimates, not advice. Answers the reverse question: instead of "how long will it last", this tells you how much you can take. Enter your balance and the three boxes below the chart give the safe monthly withdrawal for 20, 25 and 30 years. *Interactive calculator on the page: https://savingslast.com/retirement-withdrawal-calculator/. The same engine is the MCP tool how_long_will_money_last at https://savingslast.com/mcp.* ## How much can I withdraw? The famous answer is 4% of the starting balance, rising with inflation each year. It came from studying U.S. market history and asking what rate survived every 30-year window — including retiring straight into 1929 or 1966. It is a reasonable benchmark and a poor rule to follow blindly, because it assumes a 30-year horizon, a stock-heavy portfolio, and no fees. The calculator replaces the rule with arithmetic on your actual numbers. The "to last 30 years" figure is the largest inflation-adjusted monthly withdrawal that survives 360 months at the return and inflation you entered. ## How the calculator works Each month the balance earns one month of return, then the withdrawal is taken out. The withdrawal itself rises a little every month, at the rate that compounds to your inflation figure over a full year, so your spending power stays level. If you enter a tax rate, each withdrawal is grossed up so the *after-tax* amount you keep matches the number you typed. The calculator stops when the balance hits zero, or after 100 years if it never does. The "to last 20 / 25 / 30 years" figures are solved by bisection: the largest starting withdrawal that still survives that horizon under the same return and inflation assumptions. ## When to withdraw more than 4% - **Shorter horizon.** Retiring at 75 means planning 20 years, not 30 — that supports a materially higher rate. - **Flexible spending.** If you can cut back in bad years, starting at 5% is defensible. - **Large guaranteed income.** If a pension and Social Security cover essentials, portfolio volatility threatens only discretionary spending. ## When to withdraw less - **Early retirement.** A 40-year horizon points to 3–3.5%. - **Conservative portfolio.** Mostly bonds and cash cannot support 4% across three decades once inflation is applied. - **Fees.** Subtract every fee from the return you enter, because that is exactly how they behave. ## Choosing realistic inputs - **Annual return.** 4–5% is a conservative planning number for a balanced portfolio; 6–7% is closer to long-run history for 60/40; cash and CDs are 3–5% today but fall when rates fall. - **Inflation.** The Federal Reserve targets 2%; the 30-year U.S. average is about 2.5%. Healthcare inflation runs higher, so retirees with large medical costs should test 3–3.5%. - **Withdrawal.** Enter what you actually spend. Put Social Security and any pension in their own boxes, and the calculator takes them off your spending. Social Security counts from the starting age you enter. With those boxes at 0, enter only the gap that savings must cover. ## Frequently asked questions **How much can I withdraw from my retirement account each month?** For a 30-year retirement at 5% returns and 2.5% inflation, typically 4–4.5% of the balance a year before tax. On $800,000 that is roughly $2,700–3,000 a month. Enter your own balance above for a precise figure. **What is the 4% rule?** Withdraw 4% of your starting balance in year one, then increase that dollar amount by inflation each year. In historical U.S. data this survived every 30-year period tested, which is why it became the default benchmark. **Is the 4% rule still valid?** It remains a reasonable starting point, though many planners now favour 3.5% for longer retirements or lower expected returns. Its bigger weakness is rigidity — flexible strategies that adjust after bad years historically support higher average spending. **Should I withdraw monthly or annually?** Monthly withdrawals leave more money invested for longer and so last very slightly longer, but the difference is under 1% a year. Choose whichever matches how you budget. ## Related calculators - [IRA withdrawal calculator](https://savingslast.com/ira-withdrawal-calculator/) - [403(b) withdrawal calculator](https://savingslast.com/403b-calculator/) - [457(b) withdrawal calculator](https://savingslast.com/457b-calculator/) - [TSP withdrawal calculator](https://savingslast.com/tsp-withdrawal-calculator/) - [Investment calculator with withdrawals](https://savingslast.com/investment-calculator-with-withdrawals/) - [4% rule calculator](https://savingslast.com/4-percent-rule-calculator/) SavingsLast calculators are educational estimates. They assume a constant average return and steady inflation; real markets are volatile and sequence-of-returns risk can shorten how long money lasts. Nothing here is financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions.