The 4% rule is the classic retirement shortcut: withdraw about 4% of your portfolio in year one, then raise that amount with inflation each year. Enter your portfolio, withdrawal rate, expected return, and inflation to see your safe first-year withdrawal, your monthly income, and how long the money is projected to last — then open the full Retirement Savings calculator to pressure-test the plan.
The 4% rule, from the Trinity Study, says you can withdraw about 4% of your portfolio in the first year of retirement and then adjust that amount for inflation each year, with a high chance the money lasts roughly 30 years. It's a planning guideline, not a guarantee.
What does a "—" in years-it-lasts mean?
It means the portfolio never runs out within our 100-year horizon — at your return and withdrawal rate it grows at least as fast as you spend it, so it lasts indefinitely. That's typical for a 4% rate when returns comfortably exceed it.
Why does a higher withdrawal rate shorten how long it lasts?
Taking out more each year — and inflating that larger amount — drains the balance faster than growth can replace it. Rates of 5–8% can deplete a portfolio in a couple of decades, which is why 4% is the common starting point.