How long will $750,000 last at $4,000 a month?

At an assumed 5% annual return, about 366 monthly withdrawals — roughly 30.5 years in this simulation. With no growth at all it would last under 16 years, which shows how much the return assumption matters.

Why does the calculator sometimes say "indefinitely"?

When one month of growth on the balance is at least the withdrawal amount, the balance never declines under the assumptions, so there is no depletion date. A higher withdrawal or lower return breaks that condition.

Retirement Calculator

Retirement Calculator — Withdrawal

The drawdown view for the other side of retirement: you have a balance and want to know how long fixed monthly withdrawals last while the remainder keeps earning. A $750,000 balance supporting $4,000 a month at an assumed 5% return lasts about 30.5 years in this simulation, and the page also shows the 4%-rule first-year figure ($30,000 on that balance) for comparison. If projected growth covers the withdrawal, the balance never runs out under those assumptions.

Retirement projection

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Savings at retirement ($)Monthly withdrawal ($)Assumed annual return in retirement (%)

How long savings last

30.5 years

366 monthly withdrawals · $4,000.00 each · 4% rule on this balance: $30,000 per year

A compounding projection from the ages, amounts, and return you assume — real returns vary year to year and are not guaranteed. This is an estimate for planning, not financial advice; taxes and fees are not modeled.

Reading a drawdown honestly

The simulation grows the remaining balance monthly at your assumed return and subtracts the withdrawal. Small input changes compound: dropping the withdrawal from $4,000 to $3,000 on a $500,000 balance at 5% stretches the money to about 23.8 years, and there is a tipping point where one month of growth exceeds the withdrawal and the balance becomes self-sustaining.

Real retirements are bumpier than a constant-return model. The classic risk is a bad market early in retirement — the same average return with losses up front depletes a portfolio faster than the average suggests. Treat the result as a central estimate and leave margin.

Questions

How long will $750,000 last at $4,000 a month?: At an assumed 5% annual return, about 366 monthly withdrawals — roughly 30.5 years in this simulation. With no growth at all it would last under 16 years, which shows how much the return assumption matters.
Why does the calculator sometimes say "indefinitely"?: When one month of growth on the balance is at least the withdrawal amount, the balance never declines under the assumptions, so there is no depletion date. A higher withdrawal or lower return breaks that condition.