How Long Will My Money Last?
Corpus survival under monthly withdrawals with inflation — the depletion date, computed honestly.
Formula
Disclaimer: Indicative math using recently applicable rates and rules — verify current-year figures. Not financial or tax advice.
Disclaimer: This tool is for general informational and estimation purposes only and is not professional financial, tax, accounting or legal advice. All figures are estimates — verify with a qualified professional before making decisions. Read the full disclaimer.
Need how long will my money last? results fast? Skip the spreadsheet and get a clear, defensible answer in one step — free, private and instant, recalculating live as you change any input.
About How Long Will My Money Last?
This is the question every retiree, inheritor and career-breaker actually asks, answered with the variable most calculators omit: INFLATING withdrawals. $500,000 paying $3,500/month at 6% returns lasts forever if withdrawals stay flat — but let them grow at just 3% inflation and the honest answer drops to ~17 years. The inflation input is the difference between comfort and a cliff. The mechanics are a three-way race — returns rebuild the balance, withdrawals drain it, inflation accelerates the drain — and the outcome is wildly sensitive near the boundary: at the defaults, cutting the withdrawal 10% adds ~5 years; one extra point of return adds ~4. That sensitivity is actionable: small permanent adjustments (a slightly later start, a modest side income, one budget trim) buy disproportionate longevity. Use it for the real scenarios it fits: bridging early retirement to pension age (set the horizon, solve for the sustainable withdrawal by trial), stretching an inheritance or buyout, sizing how long a sabbatical fund truly runs (set return low — sabbatical money sits in safe assets), or stress-testing a parent's nest egg against care costs (healthcare inflation runs hotter — try 5-6%). And read the year-10 withdrawal output: today's comfortable $3,500 silently becoming $4,700 is the slow surprise this tool exists to spoil early.
How to use How Long Will My Money Last?
- 1Enter Savings / corpus, Monthly withdrawal (today), Annual return on balance (%), Withdrawal grows with inflation (%) into the How Long Will My Money Last?.
- 2The result is computed automatically using Each month: balance grows at return/12, pays the withdrawal, and the withdrawal itself inflates — the three-way race decides the date — there is no button to press; it updates live as you type.
- 3Change any input to model a different scenario, then use “Copy result link” to share the exact numbers.
Why use How Long Will My Money Last??
- ✓Computes how long will my money last? instantly with the correct formula — no spreadsheet needed
- ✓100% free and unlimited, with no sign-up, login or paywall
- ✓Runs entirely in your browser, so the figures you enter are never uploaded or stored
- ✓Shows the formula, a live worked example and references so you can defend the number
Frequently asked questions
$500k kitne saal chalega retirement me?+
Withdrawal aur inflation par: $2,500/mo (flat) 6% return par hamesha; $3,500/mo + 3% inflation par ~17 saal; $4,500/mo + 3% par ~11.5 saal. Magic number nahi hota — TEEN inputs ka race hota hai. Apne numbers upar daaliye; verdict badge seedha bata dega aap kis zone me hain.
Inflation input me kya daalna chahiye?+
General basket ke liye apne desh ka long-run CPI (US ~3%, India ~6%) — par APNE basket ka socha kijiye: healthcare-heavy late-retirement spending 5-6% inflate hota hai, paid-off-home wala frugal basket 2-2.5% bhi. Test dono bracket me karein; jis input par result sabse zyada hilta hai (yahi wala), usi par conservatism rakhna chahiye.
Returns 6% maana hai par paisa FD me hai — kya galat hoga?+
Mismatch: FD/savings ka REAL return inflation ke aas-paas ya neeche hota hai — us case me return input ko apne actual (post-tax!) rate par giraiye aur tayyar rahiye ki duration kaafi chhoti niklegi. 6% blended tabhi imaandaar hai jab corpus me equity/hybrid hissa ho. Yeh calculator asset-allocation ka argument bhi hai: 20+ saal ki survival lagbhag hamesha kuch growth-assets maangti hai.
Paisa khatam hone ki taraf ja raha hai — sabse asaan fix kya hai?+
Sensitivity ka fayda uthaiye, order me: (1) withdrawal me 5-10% ka permanent trim (har 10% ≈ 4-6 saal extra); (2) start 1-2 saal delay (corpus bhi badhta hai, horizon bhi ghat'ta hai — double effect); (3) part-time income ke $500-1,000/mo (withdrawal ko utna ghatao); (4) return-mix me sudhar — last me, kyunki risk bhi wahi laata hai. Chhote levers, bade saal.
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