How long will $1 million last in retirement?

Taking $40,000 a year, raised with prices, from the S&P 500: lasted in 82 of 82 complete starts; no later start has run out, over 30 years, from every month since 1990. Taking $40,000 a year, retiring in April 2000 came closest: 26½ years on, $19,524 is left, in today’s money.

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Real monthly returns since January 1990 · US inflation (FRED) · before taxes and fees · method →

Can you retire with $1 million? What it paid a year, replayed from every start since 1990

$40,000 a year: the most $1 million in the S&P 500 paid, raised with prices every year, without running out over 30 years from any start since 1990.

Taking $40,000 a year, retiring in April 2000 came closest: 26½ years on, $19,524 is left, in today’s money.

The record starts in January 1990. It does not include 1966–1982, the years the 4% rule was built on.

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Monthly returns through September 2026

The most per year, by portfolio

Portfolio	20 years	25 years	30 years
S&P 500 (VOO)	$44,400202 starts	$40,500142 starts	$40,00082 starts
Total US market (VTI)	$46,400175 starts	$42,500115 starts	$42,00055 starts
60% S&P 500 / 40% US bonds	$54,700202 starts	$48,300142 starts	$47,40082 starts
Three-fund: US / international / bonds, 60/30/10	$49,800127 starts	$44,40067 starts	$43,500only 7 starts

Without running out from any start in the record, withdrawals raised every year with US prices. Next to each figure, the number of starts it was measured on: a span must fit inside the record to count.

S&P 500 (VOO): VOO, carried back to 1990 by VFINX, the Vanguard S&P 500 fund it replicates, since January 1990.
Total US market (VTI): VTI, carried back to 1992 by VTSMX, the Vanguard total-market fund, since April 1992.
60% S&P 500 / 40% US bonds: VOO and VBMFX, the Vanguard total bond index fund, since January 1990.
Three-fund: US / international / bonds, 60/30/10: VTI, VXUS (carried back to 1996 by VGTSX) and VBMFX, since April 1996.

How much you take changes it

Over 30 years. A complete start is one whose whole span is in the record; a later start is followed as far as the record goes, and counted only if the money already ran out.

You take a year	S&P 500 (VOO)	60% S&P 500 / 40% US bonds
$30,000 (3.0%)	lasted in 82 of 82 complete starts; no later start has run out	lasted in 82 of 82 complete starts; no later start has run out
$40,000 (4.0%)	lasted in 82 of 82 complete starts; no later start has run out	lasted in 82 of 82 complete starts; no later start has run out
$50,000 (5.0%)	lasted in 82 of 82 complete starts; 32 later starts already ran out, the earliest after 16 years (April 2000)	lasted in 82 of 82 complete starts; 21 later starts already ran out, the earliest after 24 years (April 2000)
$60,000 (6.0%)	lasted in 82 of 82 complete starts; 55 later starts already ran out, the earliest after 12 years (September 2000)	lasted in 82 of 82 complete starts; 57 later starts already ran out, the earliest after 17 years (April 2000)

Questions people ask

How long will $1 million last in retirement?: Taking $40,000 a year, raised with prices, from the S&P 500: lasted in 82 of 82 complete starts; no later start has run out, over 30 years, from every month since 1990. Taking $40,000 a year, retiring in April 2000 came closest: 26½ years on, $19,524 is left, in today’s money.
Is 4% safe with $1 million?: Nobody can say what is safe in your future. What was measured: the most $1 million in the S&P 500 paid without running out over 30 years from any start since 1990 was $40,000 a year. The record does not include 1966–1982, the years the 4% rule was built on.
What was the worst year to retire?: Since 1990, on the S&P 500 at 4% a year: April 2000. Taking $40,000 a year, retiring in April 2000 came closest: 26½ years on, $19,524 is left, in today’s money.

What this does not say

Every figure is the past, replayed. It is not a forecast of returns or of how long any money will last.
The record starts in January 1990: it does not include 1966–1982, the years the 4% rule was built on.
Before taxes and fund fees, with the portfolio rebalanced every month.
This page does not say how much anybody should take, and it is not advice.

Check it with your own portfolio

Your own funds, amount, yearly withdrawal and years: the same replay, and nothing saved on our side.

Check it with your own portfolio

Can you retire with $2 million? What it paid a year, replayed from every start since 1990 Can you retire with $500,000? What it paid a year, replayed from every start since 1990 Safe withdrawal rate for a 30-year retirement, measured on four portfolios since 1990 Safe withdrawal rate for a 25-year retirement, measured on four portfolios since 1990 Safe withdrawal rate for a 20-year retirement, measured on four portfolios since 1990 The 4% rule on real portfolios: every start since 1990 All of them →Before you add a fund: what it changes →

Measured on monthly returns from January 1990 to September 2026, in USD, from Yahoo Finance prices, with the US consumer price index from FRED. Descriptive: this page replays what happened. It does not forecast, it does not say what to do, and it is not advice. How every figure is measured. Terms and privacy: /terms. If a figure looks wrong: [email protected].

Can you retire with $1 million? What it paid a year, replayed from every start since 1990

The most per year, by portfolio

How much you take changes it

Questions people ask

What this does not say

Check it with your own portfolio

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