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Retirement Calculator: How Long Will Your Savings Last?

Planning for retirement requires knowing how long your savings will support you. This calculator helps you estimate your retirement runway based on your nest egg, expected expenses, Social Security, and investment returns. The 4% rule suggests withdrawing 4% annually for a 30+ year retirement.

By Sammy S. · Founder · AuthorUpdated for 2026

Key facts

4% rule: withdraw 4% annually for 30+ years
Social Security average: $1,800/month
Medicare begins at 65
Healthcare costs in retirement: $300k+/couple
Consider inflation: expenses rise 2-3%/year
Sequence of returns risk highest early
Inputs
$
$
$
$

2.7% annually (US)

Defaults: $50,000 savings · $3,500/mo expenses. Results update as you type.

Results

Your financial runway

11 years

Based on $500,000 effective savings · Around September 2037

Monthly burn

$3,000

Total months

132

Total expenses

$767,481

Effective savings

$500,000

Excellent: Strong Financial Position

With 11+ years of runway, you have excellent financial security. Consider investing excess savings for growth.

Emergency fund benchmarks

132 mo coverage

Minimum

3 months

Met

Recommended

6 months

Met

Ideal

12 months

Met

Balance timeline

Hover to see projected balance over time

BalanceZero

Inflation Impact

Without inflation, money would last
35 months longer
Average monthly expense
$5,814

Monthly Breakdown (First 12 Months)

MonthExpensesIncomeNetBalance
1-$5,000+$2,000-$3,000$497,000
2-$5,011+$2,000-$3,011$493,989
3-$5,023+$2,000-$3,023$490,966
4-$5,034+$2,000-$3,034$487,932
5-$5,045+$2,000-$3,045$484,887
6-$5,057+$2,000-$3,057$481,831
7-$5,068+$2,000-$3,068$478,763
8-$5,079+$2,000-$3,079$475,684
9-$5,091+$2,000-$3,091$472,593
10-$5,102+$2,000-$3,102$469,491
11-$5,114+$2,000-$3,114$466,377
12-$5,125+$2,000-$3,125$463,252

Related Questions You Might Have

How much should my emergency fund be?

Based on your $5,000/mo expenses, experts recommend $30,000 (6 months)

How will inflation affect my savings?

See how $500,000 changes over time

What if I invest my savings?

Calculate potential capital gains taxes

Am I maximizing my take-home pay?

Check your paycheck deductions

View all financial calculators
Duration from $500,000
Monthly expensesDuration
$2,000/mo20y 10mo
$2,500/mo16y 8mo
$3,000/mo13y 11mo
$3,500/mo11y 11mo
$4,000/mo10y 5mo
$4,500/mo9y 3mo
$5,000/mo8y 4mo
$6,000/mo6y 11mo

Without income or inflation. Use calculator for full details.

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Expert tips

1

The 4% rule assumes 50/50 stocks/bonds - adjust withdrawal rate based on allocation

2

Delay Social Security to 70 for 8%/year increase over claiming at 62

3

Plan for healthcare: budget $10-15k/year before Medicare, $5-8k after

4

Keep 2-3 years expenses in cash to avoid selling stocks in downturns

5

Consider annuities for guaranteed income baseline

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

LineFormula
Effective savingsCurrent 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 monthBalance = prior balance − expenses + income
Indefinite runwayWhen monthly income ≥ monthly expenses, savings do not deplete

Order of operations

1

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.

2

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.

3

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.

4

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.

5

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

Retirement Calculator: How Long Will Your Savings Last?

Effective savings: $500,000

Monthly burn: $5,000 − $2,000 = $3,000/mo

Runway: 132 months (11 years)

Inflation impact: expenses rise to ~$5,814/mo on average

Line itemAmount
Current savings$500,000
One-time expense$0
Effective savings$500,000
Monthly expenses$5,000
Monthly income$2,000
Monthly burn$3,000
Total months132
Duration11 years

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).

Constants we use

ParameterWhat we use
Default savings$50,000
Default monthly expenses$3,500
Default monthly income$0
Inflation default (US)2.7% annual
Simulation cap1,200 months (100 years)
Chart breakdown cap120 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.

Official references

FAQ

Frequently asked questions — Retirement Calculator: How Long Will Your Savings Last?

Runway math, emergency funds, income, inflation, and planning tips for retirement calculator: how long will your savings last?.

Basic formula: Savings ÷ Annual Expenses = Years. But this ignores investment returns. A better approach: use the 4% rule (Savings × 0.04 = safe annual withdrawal). For $500,000, that's $20,000/year indefinitely. Add Social Security and other income to get total annual income.

The 4% rule states that you can withdraw 4% of your initial portfolio in year one, then adjust for inflation each year, and your money should last 30+ years. For a $500,000 portfolio, withdraw $20,000 in year one, then $20,600 in year two (assuming 3% inflation), and so on.

Multiply your expected annual expenses by 25 (the inverse of 4%). If you need $50,000/year, you need $1.25 million. If Social Security covers $25,000, you only need to generate $25,000 from savings, requiring $625,000. Location matters too - $500k goes further in Iowa than California.

You can claim at 62 (reduced benefits), full retirement age (66-67), or delay to 70 (increased benefits). Each year you delay from 62 increases benefits ~7-8%. If you're healthy and have other income, delaying to 70 maximizes lifetime benefits. If you need income immediately, claiming earlier may be necessary.

Social Security reduces burn rate dollar-for-dollar. If you spend $4,000/month and receive $1,800/month SS, you only need $2,200/month from savings. That can more than double how long a nest egg lasts versus drawing the full $4,000 from savings alone.

Use both. The 4% rule estimates sustainable withdrawals from an invested portfolio over ~30 years. The money duration calculator shows how long cash (or a fixed withdrawal) lasts with real monthly expenses, income, and inflation. Near-term cash needs and long-term portfolio math answer different questions.

Many retirees keep 1–3 years of expenses in cash or short-term bonds so they are not forced to sell stocks in a downturn. Size the buffer with this calculator, then invest the rest according to your withdrawal plan.

Healthcare often rises faster than general inflation (commonly modeled around 4–6%/year). Before Medicare at 65, premiums and out-of-pocket costs can add $800–$1,500+/month for early retirees. Include those costs in monthly expenses when projecting runway.

The classic 4% rule is a starting point for ~30-year retirements. For early retirement spanning 40+ years, many planners prefer 3–3.5% or flexible spending rules. Lower withdrawals mean you need a larger nest egg — or lower expenses — for the same confidence level.

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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. Consult a certified financial planner for personalized advice.