Savings Withdrawal Calculator
Find out how long your savings will last at a given monthly withdrawal, or how much you can safely take for a set number of years, with inflation increases.
Your savings last 10 years and 10 months — the balance reaches zero in month 130.
Year by year
| Year | Withdrawn | Interest | Balance at year end |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $12,000 | $4,837 | $92,837 |
| 2 | $12,000 | $4,471 | $85,308 |
| 3 | $12,000 | $4,086 | $77,394 |
| 4 | $12,000 | $3,681 | $69,075 |
| 5 | $12,000 | $3,255 | $60,330 |
| 6 | $12,000 | $2,808 | $51,138 |
| 7 | $12,000 | $2,337 | $41,475 |
| 8 | $12,000 | $1,843 | $31,318 |
| 9 | $12,000 | $1,323 | $20,641 |
| 10 | $12,000 | $777 | $9,419 |
| 11 | $9,629 | $210 | $0 |
Each month the balance earns one twelfth of the annual return and then the withdrawal is taken, exactly as balance × (1 + r/12) − withdrawal. Worked check: $100,000 at 5% with a level $1,000 a month runs out in month 130, matching the closed-form answer of 129.63 months, and the payment that empties the same pot over 20 years is $659.96. Returns are assumed steady; real markets and inflation vary. Arithmetic only, not financial advice.
What is the Savings Withdrawal Calculator?
The ByteTools Savings Withdrawal Calculator answers the two questions people actually ask about a drawdown pot.
- Two modes: how long it lasts, or how much you can take
- True month-by-month simulation with interest on the remaining balance
- Optional annual inflation increase applied to the withdrawal
- Depletion year highlighted in the year-by-year table
- Totals for money withdrawn and interest earned along the way
- Runs offline in your browser; balances are never uploaded
How to use the Savings Withdrawal Calculator
- 1
Choose whether you want to know how long the money lasts, or how much you can take for a set number of years.
- 2
Enter your starting balance and the annual return you expect on the remaining balance.
- 3
In duration mode, enter the monthly withdrawal; in amount mode, enter the number of years it must last.
- 4
Set an annual increase percentage if you want the withdrawal to keep pace with inflation, or leave it at zero.
- 5
Read the headline answer, then use the year-by-year table to see the balance falling.
About the Savings Withdrawal Calculator
The ByteTools Savings Withdrawal Calculator answers the two questions people actually ask about a drawdown pot. In duration mode it steps through month by month — balance × (1 + r/12) − withdrawal — and reports the exact month the money runs out. In amount mode it searches for the largest withdrawal that lasts exactly as long as you need.
You can also make the withdrawal rise each year by an inflation rate, which is closer to how retirement spending really behaves and shortens the runway noticeably. The year-by-year table shows what was withdrawn, what interest was earned and the balance left at the end of each year, with the depletion year highlighted.
It suits anyone planning a retirement drawdown, a career break or a period living off savings. Everything runs in your browser and nothing is uploaded. Returns are assumed steady, so treat it as a planning estimate rather than financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
How long will my savings last?
It depends on the balance, the return and how much you take. As a worked example, $100,000 earning 5% a year with a level $1,000 monthly withdrawal runs dry in month 130 — just under eleven years — because early interest offsets a good part of each withdrawal.
How much can I withdraw each month in retirement?
Switch to amount mode and set your horizon. A $100,000 balance earning 5% supports $659.96 a month for exactly twenty years. Adding an inflation increase lowers the starting figure, because later withdrawals are larger.
Should I increase my withdrawal for inflation?
Most retirement plans do, because a fixed payment buys less every year. Setting an annual increase here shows the real cost: the same pot supports a lower starting withdrawal once each year's payment is stepped up.
Does this account for market ups and downs?
No. It applies a steady monthly return, so it cannot show sequence-of-returns risk — the danger of a bad market early in a drawdown. Real portfolios vary, so run a lower return as a stress test alongside your main figure.
Is the interest calculated before or after tax?
Before tax. Enter your expected after-tax return if you want the result to reflect what you actually keep, since tax treatment varies by account type and country.
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