Portfolio × withdrawal rate gives first-year gross income. Add only benefits you reasonably expect.
Can I retire on…?
Reviewed July 18, 2026Transparent assumptionsEducational estimate
The same question, fifteen different numbers. Each page below answers one portfolio size directly: the monthly income it generates at withdrawal rates from 3% to 5%, how long the money lasts at different spending levels, what it looks like combined with Social Security — and an honest verdict, including when the answer is no.
Every page includes a live simulator prefilled with that amount, so you can immediately test your own spending against it. Benchmarks used across all pages: average 65+ household spending of $61,432/year (BLS, 2024) and an average Social Security benefit of $2,071/month (SSA, Jan 2026).
$300,000
$1,000/month
$12,000/year at 4%
Not on its own — treat it as a supplement to Social Security, not a replacement for income.
$400,000
$1,333/month
$16,000/year at 4%
Workable with Social Security and low expenses, but the margin for error is thin.
$500,000
$1,667/month
$20,000/year at 4%
Yes for a paid-off home and modest budget with Social Security — no for a high-cost lifestyle.
$600,000
$2,000/month
$24,000/year at 4%
Comfortable for a couple with two Social Security checks; tighter for early retirees bridging to 62+.
$700,000
$2,333/month
$28,000/year at 4%
Yes for most typical budgets once Social Security starts — the question becomes lifestyle, not survival.
$750,000
$2,500/month
$30,000/year at 4%
The first tier where the portfolio alone can carry a lean budget, with Social Security as pure margin.
$800,000
$2,667/month
$32,000/year at 4%
Matches average retiree spending with Social Security — and rewards flexible withdrawals.
$900,000
$3,000/month
$36,000/year at 4%
Functionally equivalent to $1M — waiting for the round number is psychology, not math.
$1,000,000
$3,333/month
$40,000/year at 4%
Buys the average American retirement almost exactly — luxury requires either more assets or lower costs.
$1,500,000
$5,000/month
$60,000/year at 4%
Covers average household spending without Social Security — the realistic early-retirement floor for many.
$2,000,000
$6,667/month
$80,000/year at 4%
Comfortably yes — the binding question becomes tax strategy, not portfolio survival.
$2,500,000
$8,333/month
$100,000/year at 4%
Yes with room to spare — the more common failure mode at this level is underspending, not running out.
$3,000,000
$10,000/month
$120,000/year at 4%
Financial independence by nearly any definition — planning shifts to purpose, gifting, and estate.
$4,000,000
$13,333/month
$160,000/year at 4%
Volatility threatens comfort, not viability — attention goes to long-term care and estate exposure.
$5,000,000
$16,667/month
$200,000/year at 4%
The portfolio will almost certainly outlive you — the real questions are estate and legacy design.
How to read these numbers
All income figures start from the 4% rule: withdraw 4% of the portfolio in year one, then adjust that dollar amount for inflation annually. It is a research-backed planning heuristic — not a guarantee — derived from historical U.S. market data over 30-year retirements. Longer retirements argue for a lower rate; flexibility to cut spending in bad years argues for a slightly higher one.
If you want to work from your own numbers instead of a round portfolio size, start with the 4% Rule Calculator, check whether dividends alone could cover your bills with the Live Off Dividends Calculator, or see what your current savings grow into with the Coast FIRE Calculator.
How to compare portfolio sizes
Convert the balance into income, flexibility, and time
A portfolio amount does not answer “Can I retire?” by itself. Convert it into first-year income at 3%, 3.5%, 4%, and 5%; compare after-tax income with tracked spending; then test lower returns and higher inflation.
Separate housing, healthcare, taxes, and essentials from flexible spending.
Long retirements require more years and usually a wider margin.
Current context: Pages use the SSA January 2026 estimated average benefit and the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey. National averages are not personal budgets.
More retirement tools
Prefer to start from the income you want? Work backwards with the Retire on $X/Month calculator. Curious how a portfolio compares to other households? See where it lands with the Net Worth Percentile tool, built on Federal Reserve data.