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GrowThenDraw Updated for 2026

Retirement Withdrawal Calculator — United States

Turn a nest egg into a monthly paycheck — and see how long it lasts once the IRS takes its actual cut, not a guessed one.

Published by GrowThenDraw Editorial Team · Editorial policy · Methodology & sources

Your plan

Tip: set this to your inflation assumption (~2.5%) to keep your withdrawals' buying power constant.

10% — S&P 500 long-run average, editable

Your gains stack on top of this across the capital-gains brackets.

Advanced: cost basis

Your total contributions (cost basis). Only the growth above this is taxed as you withdraw.

Net monthly payout, year 1 (after tax)
$2,304
Lasts all 30 years with money left over
Total received (net)
$786,544
Total tax
$113,456
Ending balance
$4,220,386

The most this plan can sustain for the full 30 years: $4,351/month before tax.

$2.1M$4.2MYear 1: balance $520,681, net income $27,650Year 2: balance $543,527, net income $27,447Year 3: balance $568,766, net income $27,262Year 4: balance $596,647, net income $27,095Year 5: balance $627,449, net income $26,944Year 6: balance $661,475, net income $26,807Year 7: balance $699,064, net income $26,683Year 8: balance $740,590, net income $26,571Year 9: balance $786,463, net income $26,469Year 10: balance $837,141, net income $26,378Year 11: balance $893,125, net income $26,294Year 12: balance $954,971, net income $26,219Year 13: balance $1,023,293, net income $26,151Year 14: balance $1,098,769, net income $26,089Year 15: balance $1,182,149, net income $26,033Year 16: balance $1,274,260, net income $25,983Year 17: balance $1,376,016, net income $25,937Year 18: balance $1,488,427, net income $25,896Year 19: balance $1,612,609, net income $25,858Year 20: balance $1,749,795, net income $25,824Year 21: balance $1,901,345, net income $25,793Year 22: balance $2,068,765, net income $25,766Year 23: balance $2,253,716, net income $25,740Year 24: balance $2,458,034, net income $25,718Year 25: balance $2,683,747, net income $25,697Year 26: balance $2,933,094, net income $25,678Year 27: balance $3,208,552, net income $25,661Year 28: balance $3,512,853, net income $25,646Year 29: balance $3,849,019, net income $25,632Year 30: balance $4,220,386, net income $25,620Y1Y6Y11Y16Y21Y26Y30
End balance
Received (net): $786,544Tax: $113,456Still invested: $4,220,386
Received (net)TaxStill invested
YearWithdrawnTaxNetEnd balance
1$30,000$2,350$27,650$520,681
2$30,000$2,553$27,447$543,527
3$30,000$2,738$27,262$568,766
4$30,000$2,905$27,095$596,647
5$30,000$3,056$26,944$627,449
6$30,000$3,193$26,807$661,475
7$30,000$3,317$26,683$699,064
8$30,000$3,429$26,571$740,590
9$30,000$3,531$26,469$786,463
10$30,000$3,622$26,378$837,141
11$30,000$3,706$26,294$893,125
12$30,000$3,781$26,219$954,971
13$30,000$3,849$26,151$1,023,293
14$30,000$3,911$26,089$1,098,769
15$30,000$3,967$26,033$1,182,149
16$30,000$4,017$25,983$1,274,260
17$30,000$4,063$25,937$1,376,016
18$30,000$4,104$25,896$1,488,427
19$30,000$4,142$25,858$1,612,609
20$30,000$4,176$25,824$1,749,795
21$30,000$4,207$25,793$1,901,345
22$30,000$4,234$25,766$2,068,765
23$30,000$4,260$25,740$2,253,716
24$30,000$4,282$25,718$2,458,034
25$30,000$4,303$25,697$2,683,747
26$30,000$4,322$25,678$2,933,094
27$30,000$4,339$25,661$3,208,552
28$30,000$4,354$25,646$3,512,853
29$30,000$4,368$25,632$3,849,019
30$30,000$4,380$25,620$4,220,386

How long will my retirement savings last?

A systematic withdrawal plan does exactly what the name says: you sell a fixed amount every month and the rest stays invested. Vanguard and Fidelity have offered SWPs for decades — it's the standard way American retirees turn a portfolio into income without buying an annuity. Two questions decide whether yours works: how long will the money last, and what actually lands in your checking account after tax?

Most withdrawal calculators ignore the second question entirely. This one splits every withdrawal into your own contributions coming back (never taxed again) and capital gain, then applies the 2026 federal rules to the gain.

How the tax math works

For a taxable brokerage account, each year's realized gains stack on top of your other taxable income across the federal long-term capital-gains brackets — 0%, 15% and 20% — so your rate depends on your filing status and income, not a flat guess. The 3.8% net investment income tax is added on the portion above the statutory thresholds. For a traditional 401(k), the whole withdrawal is ordinary income at the rate you expect in retirement. Qualified Roth IRA withdrawals are tax-free.

The gain split uses pooled average cost — the standard planning simplification. State income tax is out of scope; several states add their own tax on gains.

Reading the depletion chart

Green bars show your projected balance at each year's end. If withdrawals outpace growth, the bars shrink and turn red the year the money runs out. If your withdrawal rate is modest relative to returns, the balance can outlive the projection entirely — and the calculator tells you which side of that line your plan sits on.

Related reading

Frequently asked questions

How is each SWP withdrawal taxed in the US?

In a taxable account, only the capital-gain portion of each withdrawal is taxed. This calculator aggregates your gains for each year, stacks them on top of your other taxable income, and applies the 2026 federal long-term capital-gains brackets plus the 3.8% NIIT where it applies. 401(k) withdrawals are instead taxed entirely as ordinary income, and qualified Roth withdrawals are tax-free.

How is this different from the 4% rule?

The 4% rule is a rule of thumb for a starting withdrawal rate. An SWP projection shows the actual month-by-month path of your balance for your specific numbers — withdrawal amount, expected return, annual increases, and taxes — instead of a one-size heuristic.

Why does my tax change when I change my other income?

Because US capital-gains brackets are applied to your total taxable income. The same $20,000 gain can be taxed at 0% for a retiree with little other income and at 15% or more for someone still earning. That stacking is modeled correctly here rather than assuming one flat rate.

What does "originally invested" mean?

It's your cost basis — the total you contributed to build the portfolio. The difference between today's value and that number is unrealized gain, and only gain is taxed as you withdraw. If you don't know it exactly, your brokerage statement lists it; a rough number still beats ignoring tax entirely.

Tax figures for 2026 last verified 3 July 2026 against the official source — how we calculate.

GrowThenDraw is not a registered investment adviser, broker-dealer, or tax preparer, and is not affiliated with the SEC, FINRA, or the IRS. All results are educational estimates only — consult a licensed financial advisor or CPA before acting.

Relevant bodies in this jurisdiction: SEC / FINRA (investments), IRS (tax).