Safe Withdrawal Rate Calculator
Sustainable annual retirement withdrawal amount.
Enter your values
ⓘ Live results
Results
- Year 1 annual withdrawal
- $48,000.00
- Year 1 monthly withdrawal
- $4,000.00
- Inflation-adjusted withdrawal in year 10
- $62,629.11
- Portfolio needed for this rate to fund $60k/yr
- $1,500,000.00
Quick answer
The classic 4% rule suggests withdrawing 4% of your portfolio in year one, then adjusting for inflation each year after, aiming to make savings last 30 years.
Annual withdrawal = portfolio value x withdrawal rate
How to use the Safe Withdrawal Rate Calculator
- 1Enter your total retirement portfolio value.
- 2Choose a withdrawal rate — 4% is the traditional benchmark, though 3-3.5% is often used for more conservative plans.
- 3See year-one withdrawal and how it grows with assumed inflation.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Retirement portfolio value1200000 $
- Withdrawal rate4 %
- Expected annual inflation3 %
- Years to project10 years
Results
- Year 1 annual withdrawal$48,000.00
- Year 1 monthly withdrawal$4,000.00
- Inflation-adjusted withdrawal in year 10$62,629.11
- Portfolio needed for this rate to fund $60k/yr$1,500,000.00
Frequently asked questions
Is the 4% rule still valid?
It's debated — some research suggests a more conservative 3-3.5% rate for very long retirements or low-return environments.
Does this guarantee my money lasts?
No — actual sustainability depends on market returns sequence, inflation and portfolio allocation over the retirement period.
About this calculator
- Built and reviewed by James Whitfield · How we build and test calculators
- Report an error
Results are estimates for general information. For medical, legal, structural or financial decisions, confirm with a qualified professional.