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Retirement income calculator

Estimate retirement income from withdrawals, Social Security, pension, and other sources. See yearly cash flow and balances over time (planning tool).

Your information

Enter your best estimates below.

4.0% of starting balance

Year-one portfolio withdrawal = balance × this rate; later years step up in dollars with inflation below.

Include pension, annuity, rental income, or part-time work — anything besides portfolio withdrawals and Social Security.

Your result

Year-one income

Estimated per month (before taxes)

$8,000

About $96,000 per year in year one — $48,000 from the portfolio (4.0% of starting balance) plus $48,000 from Social Security, pension, and other sources.

From portfolio (Y1)

$48,000

Other streams (Y1)

$48,000

Unsaved result

Total income vs. guaranteed streams

The green line is Social Security, pension, and other income — not money taken from your portfolio. Amounts are before taxes.

  • From savings
  • Social Security, pension & other
  • Total income
123456789101113151719212325Year of retirement$0$40K$80K$120K$160K

Year-by-year detail

Before-tax dollars; scroll inside the table.

YearPortfolioSocial SecurityPensionOtherTotalEnd balance
1$48,000$36,000$12,000$0$96,000$1,215,360
2$49,200$36,720$12,000$0$97,920$1,230,299
3$50,430$37,454$12,000$0$99,884$1,244,762
4$51,691$38,203$12,000$0$101,894$1,258,690
5$52,983$38,968$12,000$0$103,951$1,272,021
6$54,308$39,747$12,000$0$106,055$1,284,687
7$55,665$40,542$12,000$0$108,207$1,296,618
8$57,057$41,353$12,000$0$110,410$1,307,737
9$58,483$42,180$12,000$0$112,663$1,317,963
10$59,945$43,023$12,000$0$114,969$1,327,208
11$61,444$43,884$12,000$0$117,328$1,335,381
12$62,980$44,761$12,000$0$119,742$1,342,383
13$64,555$45,657$12,000$0$122,211$1,348,109
14$66,169$46,570$12,000$0$124,738$1,352,447
15$67,823$47,501$12,000$0$127,324$1,355,279
16$69,518$48,451$12,000$0$129,970$1,356,477
17$71,256$49,420$12,000$0$132,677$1,355,908
18$73,038$50,409$12,000$0$135,446$1,353,428
19$74,864$51,417$12,000$0$138,280$1,348,886
20$76,735$52,445$12,000$0$141,180$1,342,119
21$78,654$53,494$12,000$0$144,148$1,332,956
22$80,620$54,564$12,000$0$147,184$1,321,214
23$82,635$55,655$12,000$0$150,291$1,306,701
24$84,701$56,768$12,000$0$153,470$1,289,210
25$86,819$57,904$12,000$0$156,723$1,268,522

Your Income estimate

Your Income is one piece of your retirement plan

You are here. Five more steps bring every piece together to answer the bigger question: will your money last as long as you do?

Your Income is one piece of your retirement plan

Your IncomePieces still to add

  • Portfolio
  • Withdrawal rate
  • Social Security

Your retirement plan will also answer

  • When can I and my spouse retire?
  • How much should I save?
  • When should I claim Social Security?
  • Should I do Roth conversions?
  • How much can I safely withdraw?
  • Should I pay off debt first?
  • Would my plan weather market ups and downs?

How it works · Your path to a full Finance plan

  1. Income

    You are here

    Projected $8,000

  2. Income

    Current income plus Social Security, pensions and annuities

  3. Expenses

    Day-to-day living, healthcare premiums and planned future costs

  4. Assets

    Homes, properties, investments and savings

  5. Non-mortgage debts

    Car loans, credit cards and other balances

  6. Annual savings and review

    Confirm yearly savings, then see your full plan

Interpretation

Understand your results

Planning context for the estimates above. Not tax, legal, or investment advice.

Under these assumptions, year-one income is about $96,000 ($8,000/month). By year 25, total cash flow is near $156,723 while the portfolio ends around $1,268,522.

Higher starting withdrawal rates or higher inflation steps pull more from the portfolio early, which can shorten sustainability if returns disappoint. More Social Security or pension income supports the same lifestyle with smaller portfolio draws.

Compare results with your actual asset location (taxable vs. tax-deferred vs. Roth), required withdrawal rules, and cash buffers — none of which are fully modeled here.

Methodology

How this calculator works

The rules and math behind this estimate.

Year-one portfolio withdrawal equals your starting balance multiplied by the initial withdrawal rate. Each later year, that withdrawal target grows by your spending inflation rate (a simplified “raise your withdrawal by inflation” rule). If the portfolio cannot fund the full target, the model withdraws only what remains before growth.

Social Security grows at the default 2% annual rate; pensions grow at 0%. After net withdrawals, the remaining portfolio compounds once per year at your expected return.

Industry research on safe starting withdrawal rates changes with markets and assumptions; Morningstar and others publish updated ranges in the high 3% area for balanced portfolios in many recent studies. This tool does not pick a “safe” rate for you and is not investment, tax, or legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

Straight answers to common questions about this calculator.

How much income could I have in retirement?

Add money from savings, Social Security, pensions, rentals, or work. This tool stacks those sources year by year. It is a planning sketch, not a promise.

What is a safe withdrawal rate?

Many planners start around 3–4% of savings in year one, then raise that dollar amount with inflation. The right rate depends on your age, investments, and other income.

How does Social Security fit in?

Social Security and pensions are steady income that can reduce how much you need from savings each year.

Are these numbers after tax?

No — entries are before tax unless you adjust them. Withdrawals from traditional accounts are usually taxable. Roth withdrawals may be tax-free. Social Security can be partly taxable.

Retirement is more than your money

Your retirement plan is one of five pillars Retirelens helps you plan.

Finance

Know where you stand and what to do next with your money.

Health

Stay on top of coverage, care and habits that keep you well.

Purpose

Shape days you look forward to, with steps to get there.

Connections

Strengthen relationships and build a support circle.

Legacy

Organize what matters and document so your family isn't left guessing.