Sustainable withdrawal
- Input
- ₹1 crore at 8%, ₹50,000/month
- Output
- Never exhausted · balance grows
Monthly growth is ₹66,667 against a ₹50,000 withdrawal, so the surplus is reinvested and the corpus keeps rising.
SWP Calculator
An SWP calculator answers how long an invested lump sum survives a regular withdrawal, or how much can be taken without depleting it. There is no closed-form answer to the question people actually ask — whether the money runs out and when — so this simulates every month, crediting growth before the redemption, which is how a fund house processes it.
Runs entirely in your browser — your figures are never uploaded.
How long will my money last if I withdraw monthly?
A corpus lasts indefinitely while withdrawals stay below the growth it earns. ₹1 crore at 8% earning ₹66,667 a month supports a ₹50,000 withdrawal forever, but a ₹1,00,000 withdrawal exhausts it in about 14 years.
This is a projection tool, not financial advice. Withdrawal planning depends on tax, asset mix and market conditions; consult a qualified adviser before relying on any figure.
₹
₹
%
years
%
Keeps the withdrawal in step with rising costs. A flat withdrawal loses purchasing power every year.
Your corpus survives
25 years and beyond
₹2,58,50,440 remaining at the end
Your corpus earns about ₹66,667 a month at 8%. You are withdrawing ₹50,000 — less than it earns, so the balance keeps growing.
- Total withdrawn
- ₹1,50,00,000
- Final balance
- ₹2,58,50,440
- Monthly growth
- ₹66,667
The sustainability line
Withdrawal schedule
| Month | Opening | Growth | Withdrawn | Closing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ₹1,00,00,000 | ₹66,667 | ₹50,000 | ₹1,00,16,667 |
| 13 | ₹1,02,07,499 | ₹68,050 | ₹50,000 | ₹1,02,25,549 |
| 25 | ₹1,04,32,220 | ₹69,548 | ₹50,000 | ₹1,04,51,768 |
| 37 | ₹1,06,75,593 | ₹71,171 | ₹50,000 | ₹1,06,96,763 |
| 49 | ₹1,09,39,165 | ₹72,928 | ₹50,000 | ₹1,09,62,093 |
| 61 | ₹1,12,24,614 | ₹74,831 | ₹50,000 | ₹1,12,49,445 |
| 73 | ₹1,15,33,755 | ₹76,892 | ₹50,000 | ₹1,15,60,647 |
| 85 | ₹1,18,68,555 | ₹79,124 | ₹50,000 | ₹1,18,97,679 |
| 97 | ₹1,22,31,143 | ₹81,541 | ₹50,000 | ₹1,22,62,684 |
| 109 | ₹1,26,23,826 | ₹84,159 | ₹50,000 | ₹1,26,57,984 |
| 121 | ₹1,30,49,101 | ₹86,994 | ₹50,000 | ₹1,30,86,095 |
| 133 | ₹1,35,09,673 | ₹90,064 | ₹50,000 | ₹1,35,49,738 |
| 145 | ₹1,40,08,473 | ₹93,390 | ₹50,000 | ₹1,40,51,863 |
| 157 | ₹1,45,48,673 | ₹96,991 | ₹50,000 | ₹1,45,95,664 |
| 169 | ₹1,51,33,710 | ₹1,00,891 | ₹50,000 | ₹1,51,84,601 |
| 181 | ₹1,57,67,304 | ₹1,05,115 | ₹50,000 | ₹1,58,22,419 |
| 193 | ₹1,64,53,486 | ₹1,09,690 | ₹50,000 | ₹1,65,13,176 |
| 205 | ₹1,71,96,621 | ₹1,14,644 | ₹50,000 | ₹1,72,61,265 |
| 217 | ₹1,80,01,435 | ₹1,20,010 | ₹50,000 | ₹1,80,71,445 |
| 229 | ₹1,88,73,049 | ₹1,25,820 | ₹50,000 | ₹1,89,48,870 |
| 241 | ₹1,98,17,007 | ₹1,32,113 | ₹50,000 | ₹1,98,99,120 |
| 253 | ₹2,08,39,312 | ₹1,38,929 | ₹50,000 | ₹2,09,28,241 |
| 265 | ₹2,19,46,469 | ₹1,46,310 | ₹50,000 | ₹2,20,42,779 |
| 277 | ₹2,31,45,519 | ₹1,54,303 | ₹50,000 | ₹2,32,49,822 |
| 289 | ₹2,44,44,089 | ₹1,62,961 | ₹50,000 | ₹2,45,57,049 |
| 300 | ₹2,57,28,914 | ₹1,71,526 | ₹50,000 | ₹2,58,50,440 |
The maths
SWP Calculator formula
Formula
Balance(next) = (Balance + Balance × i) − Withdrawal, applied month by month
- i
- Monthly return — annual rate ÷ 12 ÷ 100
- Withdrawal
- Amount redeemed each month
Worked example
₹1,00,00,000 at 8% a year, withdrawing ₹1,00,000 a month
Inputs
- Corpus
- ₹1,00,00,000
- Annual return
- 8%
- Monthly return (i)
- 0.6667%
- Monthly withdrawal
- ₹1,00,000
Working
- Month 1 growth: 1,00,00,000 × 0.006667 = ₹66,667
- Month 1 close: 1,00,00,000 + 66,667 − 1,00,000 = ₹99,66,667
- The shortfall of ₹33,333 compounds as the balance shrinks
- Simulated forward month by month until the balance hits zero
The corpus is exhausted after about 166 months — roughly 13 years 10 months.
How to
How to use the SWP Calculator
- 1
Enter your corpus
Put in the invested amount you will draw from. This is the balance at the moment withdrawals begin.
- 2
Set the withdrawal
Enter the monthly amount you need. Compare it against the monthly growth shown — withdrawing less than that keeps the corpus intact indefinitely.
- 3
Add an annual increase
Set a step-up percentage so the withdrawal keeps pace with rising costs. A flat withdrawal loses purchasing power every year.
- 4
Read the depletion month
The result states either that the corpus survives the period or the exact month it runs out, along with the balance remaining.
Examples
SWP Calculator examples
Depleting withdrawal
- Input
- ₹1 crore at 8%, ₹1,00,000/month
- Output
- Exhausted after 166 months
Withdrawing more than the corpus earns eats principal, and the shortfall accelerates as the balance — and so the growth — falls.
With an inflation step-up
- Input
- ₹1 crore at 8%, ₹50,000/month, +6% a year
- Output
- Exhausted after about 22 years
A withdrawal that was comfortably sustainable becomes unsustainable once it rises annually, which is why flat-withdrawal projections mislead.
Why use it
What the SWP Calculator gives you
Answers the real question
Simulating month by month reveals exactly when the money runs out — something a closed-form formula cannot express.
The sustainability threshold
Shows the monthly growth alongside the withdrawal, making it immediately clear whether you are living off returns or eating principal.
Inflation-aware
The step-up option models a withdrawal that rises over time, which is the realistic case and usually changes the conclusion.
Private
Your corpus and income needs never leave your browser.
Good to know
SWP Calculator limitations
- Assumes a constant monthly return. Real returns fluctuate, and a poor sequence early in retirement depletes a corpus far faster than the average suggests.
- Capital gains tax on each redemption is not deducted, so the net amount received will be lower.
- Exit loads within the first year of investment are not modelled.
- Sequence-of-returns risk is the main danger in withdrawal planning and cannot be captured by a fixed-rate simulation.
Summary
SWP Calculator in short
- A corpus survives indefinitely while withdrawals stay under the growth earned.
- ₹1 crore at 8% earns ₹66,667 a month — that is the sustainability line.
- Withdrawing ₹1,00,000 a month from ₹1 crore exhausts it in about 14 years.
- Adding an inflation step-up can turn a sustainable plan into a depleting one.
- Sequence of returns matters more than the average return.
FAQ
SWP Calculator questions
How long will my corpus last?
It depends on whether the withdrawal exceeds the growth. ₹1 crore at 8% earns about ₹66,667 a month; withdrawing less preserves it indefinitely, while ₹1,00,000 a month exhausts it in roughly 166 months.
What is a safe withdrawal rate?
The often-quoted figure is 4% a year, derived from US market history over 30-year retirements. It is a rule of thumb, not a guarantee, and assumes a particular asset mix and country's return history.
Why do advisers warn about sequence of returns?
Two portfolios with identical average returns can end very differently depending on when the bad years fall. Poor returns early, while withdrawals are being taken, permanently reduce the capital available to recover.
Should my withdrawal rise each year?
If it funds living costs, yes — a flat withdrawal loses purchasing power every year. At 6% inflation, ₹50,000 today buys what ₹27,919 buys in fifteen years, so a flat plan quietly becomes inadequate.
How does an SWP compare with fixed deposit interest?
An SWP redeems units, so part of each withdrawal is your own capital and only the gain is taxed. Fixed deposit interest is taxed in full as income. The treatment differs materially at higher withdrawal levels.
When is growth credited relative to the withdrawal?
This calculator credits the month's growth first and then takes the redemption, which matches how fund houses process it. Reversing the order slightly shortens the projected lifespan.
What happens if the market falls?
Withdrawals redeem more units at lower prices, permanently reducing the unit count. This is why withdrawing during a downturn is damaging and why a cash buffer for lean years is commonly recommended.
Can I pause an SWP?
Yes, most fund houses allow it. Pausing during a market fall preserves units, though it requires an alternative income source for that period. The remaining balance continues to grow while paused.
Is my corpus figure stored anywhere?
No. The whole simulation runs in your browser. Nothing about your savings or income needs is transmitted, and closing the tab discards everything.
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