Plan Growth and Retirement Drawdowns
Model your account balance with monthly contributions first, then monthly withdrawals later.
| Year | End Balance | Contributions | Withdrawals | Estimated Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No data yet. Run a calculation. | ||||
Why an investment calculator with withdrawals matters
Most investment calculators are built for one job: showing how fast money can grow while you keep adding contributions. That is useful, but incomplete. In real life, people usually switch from saving mode to spending mode. An investment calculator with withdrawals gives you a more realistic roadmap by modeling both phases.
In the early years, your portfolio is fed by regular deposits and compounded returns. In later years, withdrawals do the opposite: they reduce the balance and lower the amount still compounding. Seeing both sides in one projection can help you avoid overconfidence and make better long-term decisions.
How this calculator works
1) Accumulation phase
Until the withdrawal start date, the model adds your monthly contribution and applies monthly compounding based on your expected annual return.
2) Withdrawal phase
After your chosen start year, monthly contributions stop and monthly withdrawals begin. If you set an annual withdrawal increase, the withdrawal amount rises once per year to simulate inflation-adjusted spending.
3) Projection output
You get a summary, a year-by-year schedule, and a balance chart so you can quickly evaluate:
- How large your portfolio might become before retirement spending starts
- Whether your planned withdrawal rate appears manageable
- When your portfolio may run out under your assumptions
How to interpret the results
Focus on trends, not exact numbers. The calculator uses fixed returns, but actual markets move up and down unpredictably. A plan that works in smooth averages can still fail in poor return sequences, especially early in retirement.
- Ending Balance: Remaining portfolio value at the end of your horizon.
- Total Contributions: All monthly amounts invested before withdrawals.
- Total Withdrawals: Cash pulled from the portfolio over the withdrawal period.
- Net Gain: Growth after accounting for invested capital and money withdrawn.
Improving portfolio longevity
If your plan depletes early, small changes can have a big impact:
- Delay withdrawals by 1–3 years to allow more compounding.
- Reduce the starting monthly withdrawal amount.
- Lower the annual withdrawal increase to reduce inflation pressure.
- Increase monthly contributions during working years.
- Use conservative return assumptions when stress-testing scenarios.
Common planning mistakes
- Using one “best-case” return: Always test conservative, base, and optimistic scenarios.
- Ignoring inflation: Flat withdrawals can understate real spending needs over decades.
- Skipping fees and taxes: Net returns matter more than headline returns.
- No emergency cushion: Unexpected spending shocks can accelerate depletion.
Quick example
Suppose you start with $10,000, invest $500 monthly for 20 years at 7%, then withdraw $2,000 per month with a 2% annual increase. This calculator shows whether the portfolio can sustain the next decade of spending (or longer), and when shortfalls may appear. Try adjusting only one input at a time to understand sensitivity.
Final thought
A withdrawal-aware projection is one of the simplest ways to make retirement planning more realistic. Use this page to experiment with different savings rates, return assumptions, and spending plans until your strategy looks resilient under multiple conditions.