How Long Will My Money Last? Calculator 2026
Calculate exactly when your savings will run out. Enter your savings, monthly expenses, and income to get your financial runway with a projected depletion date. Perfect for emergency fund planning, retirement, job transitions, and FIRE.
By Sammy S. · Founder · AuthorUpdated for 2026
~12.5 months
$50k · $4k/mo
~25 months
$100k · $4k/mo
~4 yrs 2 mo
$200k · $4k/mo
$24,000
6-Month Fund
Enter your total savings, monthly expenses, and any income (part-time work, benefits, dividends) to see how many months your money will last. Enable inflation to account for rising costs, or add one-time expenses like moving costs or medical bills. Defaults: $50,000 savings · $3,500/month expenses.
2.7% annually (US)
Defaults: $50,000 savings · $3,500/mo expenses. Results update as you type.
How to calculate your financial runway
Add up checking, savings, and easily accessible investments. Subtract any planned one-time costs.
Calculate your net monthly cash outflow: total expenses minus any income you'll receive.
For plans beyond 12 months, enable inflation (3-4% annually) to account for rising costs.
Tips to make your money last longer
Use a budgeting app to find subscriptions or costs you forgot about. Small cuts add up quickly.
Even small amounts of income dramatically extend your runway. Freelancing and part-time work both help.
Cutting $500/month extends $100k savings by nearly 4 months. Temporarily reduce dining out and subscriptions.
Emergency fund guidelines 2026
How much should you have saved for emergencies? Here's what financial experts recommend.
For stable jobs, dual income households, and low debt
For most people with regular W-2 employment and average job security
For self-employed, freelancers, single earners, or specialized careers
Formula: Monthly Expenses × Number of Months = Emergency Fund Goal. At $4,500/month, a 6-month fund = $27,000.
When to use this calculator
Calculate how long you can sustain yourself while job searching
Plan finances for a sabbatical, going back to school, or starting a business
Calculate if you've reached financial independence
Plan for reduced or no income during parental leave
Ensure your emergency fund meets recommended guidelines
See how long retirement savings will last with Social Security income
Savings duration reference
| Savings | $3k/mo | $4k/mo | $5k/mo |
|---|---|---|---|
| $25k | 8 mo | 6 mo | 5 mo |
| $50k | 17 mo | 13 mo | 10 mo |
| $100k | 33 mo | 25 mo | 20 mo |
| $200k | 67 mo | 50 mo | 40 mo |
| $500k | 14 yr | 10 yr | 8 yr |
Without inflation. At fixed monthly expenses with no income.
Burn rate explained
Your burn rate = Monthly Expenses − Monthly Income.
Lower burn rate = longer runway. Adding income is often more impactful than cutting expenses.
The 4% retirement rule
Withdraw 4% of your savings annually for a ~30-year retirement runway.
Some planners recommend 3–3.5% for more conservative planning in low-yield environments.
Browse savings calculators
Pre-configured calculators for specific amounts, life scenarios, and retirement ages.
2026 unemployment benefits by state — and how they extend your runway
When calculating how long your savings will last after a job loss, unemployment (UI) benefits are your most important income offset. They directly reduce your burn rate — potentially doubling your runway. Benefits are administered by each state; in 2026, maximum weekly amounts and durations vary widely:
| State | Max weekly benefit | Max weeks | Max monthly income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $1,208 | 26 | ~$5,235 |
| Massachusetts | $1,015–$1,105* | 30 | ~$4,398–$4,789 |
| Minnesota | $857–$914* | 26 | ~$3,714–$3,961 |
| New York | $504 | 26 | ~$2,184 |
| California | $450 | 26 | ~$1,950 |
| Texas | $521 | 26 | ~$2,258 |
| Florida | $275 | 12 wks max | ~$1,192 |
| Mississippi | $235 | 26 | ~$1,018 |
*Higher figure includes dependency allowance. Monthly = weekly × 52 ÷ 12. Source: U.S. DOL Employment and Training Administration, 2026. Benefits typically replace ~50% of prior wages up to the state maximum.
Runway impact example
$500/week in UI benefits = $2,167/month. With $50,000 savings and $4,000/month expenses: adding this income reduces your burn rate from $4,000 to $1,833/month — extending your runway from 12.5 months to 27.3 months. Enter your expected UI benefit as “Monthly Income” in the calculator above.
COBRA health insurance 2026: the $700–$900/month expense most people forget to include
The most common mistake people make when calculating their post-layoff runway is forgetting about health insurance. COBRA lets you keep your employer's plan for up to 18 months — but you now pay the full premium, both your share and your employer's share, plus a 2% administrative fee.
| Coverage type | While employed (your share) | COBRA (full premium + 2%) | Monthly increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual | ~$150–$250/mo | $700–$900/mo | +$500–$650 |
| Employee + Spouse | ~$300–$500/mo | $1,400–$1,800/mo | +$1,000–$1,300 |
| Family | ~$400–$600/mo | $1,800–$2,400/mo | +$1,200–$1,800 |
Source: KFF 2024–2025 Employer Health Benefits Survey. Employers cover 70–83% of premiums on average; COBRA ends this subsidy immediately. Costs vary by state, plan, and employer.
Runway impact
Adding $800/month in COBRA costs to a $3,500/month expense budget raises your burn rate to $4,300/month — cutting $100,000 of savings from 28.6 months to 23.3 months. Always include health insurance when entering your monthly expenses.
ACA marketplace alternative
Losing job-based coverage is a qualifying life event that opens a 60-day ACA special enrollment window. An ACA Silver plan is often $200–$550/month cheaper than COBRA before subsidies — and potentially free or near-free with income-based premium tax credits if your income drops significantly.
Counting retirement accounts in your runway: early withdrawal costs and the accounts you can tap penalty-free
Many people include their 401(k) or IRA balance when calculating how long their savings will last — but pre-tax retirement accounts have a significant hidden cost if accessed before age 59½.
| Account type | Early access cost (before 59½) | Net from a $50K withdrawal |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional 401(k) / IRA | 10% penalty + 22% income tax = 32%+ | ~$34,000 |
| Roth IRA contributions only | No penalty, no tax — always accessible | $50,000 (contributions only) |
| Roth IRA earnings | 10% penalty + income tax if under 59½ and account <5 yrs | ~$34,000 (earnings portion) |
| Taxable brokerage | Long-term cap gains tax 0–20% (no penalty) | $40,000–$50,000 |
Rule of 55
If you leave your job at age 55 or older, you can take penalty-free withdrawals from that employer's 401(k) — no 10% penalty, though income tax still applies. This only covers the plan from the employer you just left, not old 401(k)s at other jobs.
Optimal tap order
For maximum runway: (1) Taxable brokerage accounts first (lowest-cost-basis holdings may qualify for 0% long-term cap gains), (2) Traditional IRA/401(k) second, (3) Roth IRA last (let it compound tax-free). This minimizes lifetime taxes and extends the longevity of tax-advantaged growth.
72(t) SEPP
Substantially Equal Periodic Payments (72(t) election) let you take penalty-free withdrawals from an IRA before 59½ if you commit to a fixed schedule for 5 years or until 59½ (whichever is later). The IRS calculates the withdrawal amount based on your account balance and life expectancy.
The runway duration above comes from your savings, monthly expenses, income, optional one-time costs, and inflation setting—not a third-party feed. We simulate month by month: each period we subtract expenses (and add income), optionally growing expenses for inflation, until the balance reaches zero or income covers spending. Below are the formulas, the order we follow, and worked examples you can check by hand.
Formulas
| Line | Formula |
|---|---|
| Effective savings | Current savings − one-time expense (minimum 0) |
| Monthly burn (no inflation) | Monthly expenses − monthly income |
| Quick estimate (no inflation) | ⌈Effective savings ÷ monthly burn⌉ months |
| Monthly inflation factor | (1 + annual inflation % ÷ 100)^(1/12) applied each month after month 1 |
| Each simulated month | Balance = prior balance − expenses + income |
| Indefinite runway | When monthly income ≥ monthly expenses, savings do not deplete |
Order of operations
Start with usable savings
Subtract any one-time expense from current savings
Planned large purchases (moving costs, medical bills) reduce the balance available for ongoing monthly spending before the simulation begins.
Compute monthly burn
Expenses minus income each month
If income fully covers expenses, runway is indefinite—the calculator stops with a message that savings will remain stable or grow.
Simulate month by month
Subtract net burn until balance ≤ 0
We count each month until savings are exhausted. This matches how emergency funds are actually drawn down over time, not a single lump-sum division.
Grow expenses when inflation is on
Multiply monthly expenses by monthly inflation rate after month 1
Simple mode uses one annual inflation rate (country default or your custom rate). Advanced mode can apply category-specific rates, spending levels, and emergency events.
Report duration and per-paycheck context
Total months → years + months; build timeline chart
The headline duration is the month count when balance hits zero. We also show monthly breakdown rows (up to 120 months) for the chart.
Worked example
$50,000 savings · $3,500/mo expenses · $0/mo income
Effective savings: $50,000
Monthly burn: $3,500 − $0 = $3,500/mo
Runway: 15 months (1 year and 3 months)
No-inflation check: $50,000 ÷ $3,500 ≈ 15 months (simulation may add 1 month when balance goes negative mid-period)
| Line item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Current savings | $50,000 |
| One-time expense | $0 |
| Effective savings | $50,000 |
| Monthly expenses | $3,500 |
| Monthly income | $0 |
| Monthly burn | $3,500 |
| Total months | 15 |
| Duration | 1 year and 3 months |
Partial income: Partial income: $2,000/mo while between jobs → 2 years and 10 months (34 months).
One-time cost: One-time $5,000 expense before monthly drawdown → 1 year and 1 month.
Inflation on: With US inflation enabled (2.7% planning rate) → 1 year and 3 months (avg expense $3,556/mo).
Smaller fund: $10,000 savings at $2,000/mo expenses → 5 months.
Constants we use
| Parameter | What we use |
|---|---|
| Default savings | $50,000 |
| Default monthly expenses | $3,500 |
| Default monthly income | $0 |
| Inflation default (US) | 2.7% annual |
| Simulation cap | 1,200 months (100 years) |
| Chart breakdown cap | 120 months |
What we do not model on this page
Simple mode uses flat monthly expenses and income unless inflation is enabled—we do not model investment returns on savings, variable paycheck timing, taxes, or exact pay dates. Advanced mode adds spending levels, income stops, emergency events, and category inflation but is still a planning estimate. Inflation rates are long-term planning assumptions, not live CPI feeds. Results are illustrative, not financial advice.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Runway math, emergency funds, inflation, burn rate, the 4% rule, COBRA, and early withdrawal costs
Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates for planning purposes only. Actual results may vary based on unexpected expenses, market conditions, and changes in your financial situation. Consider consulting a certified financial planner for personalized advice.