Savings planning
Savings Withdrawal Calculator
Use this savings withdrawal and distribution calculator to see how long your savings will last with fixed monthly withdrawals, inflation-aware growth, and a transparent projection table.
Savings drawdown
Monthly withdrawal scenario
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Withdrawal amount comparison
These are deterministic scenarios using the same return, inflation, and time-horizon assumptions.
| Monthly withdrawal ($) | Ending balance | Depletion |
|---|---|---|
| $200 | $23,395 | Not depleted in projection |
| $400 | $0 | 141.44932937235043 months |
| $600 | $0 | 90.59927405206872 months |
| $800 | $0 | 66.66609103418764 months |
| $1,000 | $0 | 52.739688289772396 months |
Annual projection
| Year | Starting balance | Growth | Withdrawal | Ending balance | Real ending balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $50,000 | $1,891 | $6,000 | $45,891 | $45,891 |
| 2 | $45,891 | $1,724 | $6,120 | $41,495 | $40,681 |
| 3 | $41,495 | $1,546 | $6,242 | $36,799 | $35,370 |
| 4 | $36,799 | $1,356 | $6,367 | $31,788 | $29,954 |
| 5 | $31,788 | $1,153 | $6,495 | $26,446 | $24,432 |
| 6 | $26,446 | $937 | $6,624 | $20,759 | $18,802 |
| 7 | $20,759 | $707 | $6,757 | $14,709 | $13,062 |
| 8 | $14,709 | $463 | $6,892 | $8,280 | $7,208 |
| 9 | $8,280 | $203 | $7,030 | $1,454 | $1,241 |
| 10 | $1,454 | $8 | $1,462 | $0 | $0 |
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About this calculator
Method, formulas, and limits.What this does
Projects how a savings balance changes under fixed monthly withdrawals, showing how many months the money lasts, total withdrawn, and a year-by-year distribution table.
Who it is for
People living off or drawing down a savings account, distributing an inheritance or windfall, or checking whether a monthly withdrawal plan is sustainable.
How it works
The tool grows the balance at a constant effective monthly return, subtracts the monthly withdrawal, optionally raises withdrawals with inflation, and reports when the balance reaches zero.
Limitations
This is a deterministic educational estimate. It does not model taxes, fees, market volatility, bank-specific rules, or changing withdrawal needs.
Key calculations
- Monthly projection
- endBalance = max(0, startBalance + startBalance × monthlyReturn − monthlyWithdrawal)
- Inflation-adjusted withdrawal
- monthlyWithdrawalInYearN = monthlyWithdrawal × (1 + inflation)^(N − 1)
- Real (inflation-adjusted) balance
- realEndBalance = endBalance / (1 + inflation)^(year − 1)
Reference ranges
- Never depletes
- When the return on the balance covers the withdrawals, the projection shows the money lasting through the full horizon. This depends entirely on the assumed return.
- Depletion within horizon
- The month count shown is when the balance first reaches zero under constant assumptions. Real returns vary year to year.
How to use it
- 1.Enter your balance and withdrawalAdd the starting savings balance and the amount you plan to take out each month.
- 2.Set return, inflation, and horizonUse a realistic rate for the account type: savings accounts and CDs earn less than invested portfolios.
- 3.Compare withdrawal amountsReview the comparison table to see how $200 to $1,000 monthly withdrawals change the outcome.
- 4.Read the projection tableCheck the year-by-year balance, growth, and withdrawal amounts, including inflation-adjusted values.
It depends on the balance, the monthly withdrawal, the interest or return the balance earns, and inflation. This calculator projects all of these under constant assumptions and reports the exact month the balance would reach zero, or shows when withdrawals are sustainable indefinitely.
A distribution is money taken out of an account, typically on a regular schedule. Distributing a savings balance means withdrawing fixed amounts over time, which is exactly what this tool models.
If you need the same purchasing power every year, yes. Inflation adjustment increases the dollar amount withdrawn annually, which shortens how long the balance lasts but keeps real spending steady.
Use the rate your account actually earns: high-yield savings and money market accounts have published APYs, while invested balances might use a long-term portfolio assumption. Higher assumed returns make the projection look better, so test a range.
No. Interest may be taxable and accounts may have fees, neither of which is modeled. Treat the result as a pre-tax planning estimate.
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