How Long Will My Super Last
How many years a super balance lasts at a chosen annual drawdown, investment return and inflation rate, with the year-by-year balance.
Your super lasts about
17.1 yearsA $500,000 super balance drawing $40,000 a year (rising 2.5% a year with inflation) and earning 6% net lasts about 17.1 years.
| Year-one earnings | $30,000 |
|---|---|
| Year-one drawdown | $40,000 |
| Balance after 10 years | $311,695 |
| Balance after 20 years | $0 |
| Runs out in | year 18 |
Year-by-year balance
| Year | Opening | Earnings | Drawn | Closing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $500,000 | $30,000 | $40,000 | $490,000 |
| 2 | $490,000 | $29,400 | $41,000 | $478,400 |
| 3 | $478,400 | $28,704 | $42,025 | $465,079 |
| 4 | $465,079 | $27,905 | $43,076 | $449,908 |
| 5 | $449,908 | $26,994 | $44,153 | $432,750 |
| 6 | $432,750 | $25,965 | $45,256 | $413,459 |
| 7 | $413,459 | $24,808 | $46,388 | $391,879 |
| 8 | $391,879 | $23,513 | $47,547 | $367,844 |
| 9 | $367,844 | $22,071 | $48,736 | $341,178 |
| 10 | $341,178 | $20,471 | $49,955 | $311,695 |
| 11 | $311,695 | $18,702 | $51,203 | $279,193 |
| 12 | $279,193 | $16,752 | $52,483 | $243,461 |
| 13 | $243,461 | $14,608 | $53,796 | $204,273 |
| 14 | $204,273 | $12,256 | $55,140 | $161,389 |
| 15 | $161,389 | $9,683 | $56,519 | $114,554 |
| 16 | $114,554 | $6,873 | $57,932 | $63,495 |
| 17 | $63,495 | $3,810 | $59,380 | $7,924 |
| 18 | $7,924 | $475 | $8,400 | $0 |
How this was calculated
| Starting balance | $500,000 |
|---|---|
| Annual drawdown, rising 2.5% a year with inflation | $40,000 |
| Net return 6.0% a year on the remaining balance (year 1) | $30,000 |
| Balance runs out in year 18 | 17.1 years |
A constant return every year; real markets vary and the order of returns matters. The Age Pension, other income and one-off costs are not included.
A $500,000 super balance drawing $40,000 a year (rising 2.5% a year with inflation) and earning 6% net lasts about 17.1 years.
Source: Moneysmart Last verified How we keep this accurate
How the projection works
Each year the balance earns a return, the year’s income is drawn out, and the drawdown rises with inflation so it buys the same as it did in year one. The balance runs out when the drawdown exceeds what is left. Two things dominate the answer: the gap between the return and the drawdown rate, and how many years the money must cover. A $500,000 balance drawing $40,000 a year (8%) with a 6% return and 2.5% inflation lasts about 17 years; draw $30,000 and it lasts about 26 years; draw $25,000 (5%) and it lasts about 36 years.
| Drawdown from $500,000 (6% return, 2.5% inflation) | Lasts about |
|---|---|
| $25,000 a year (5%) | 36 years |
| $30,000 a year (6%) | 26 years |
| $40,000 a year (8%) | 17 years |
| $50,000 a year (10%) | 13 years |
What to enter
- Net return after fees and, in retirement phase, no tax on earnings. Balanced super options have returned around 6% to 7% a year over 20 years, with individual years from −10% to +15%. A conservative option sits nearer 4% to 5%.
- Drawdown in today’s dollars. Account-based pensions must draw a minimum each year: 4% of the balance under 65, 5% from 65, 6% from 75, 7% from 80, 9% from 85, 11% from 90 and 14% from 95. There is no maximum.
- Inflation at the RBA target of 2% to 3% a year.
What the calculator leaves out
The Age Pension, which a couple with $500,000 of super and few other assets would receive in part from pension age and which extends how long the balance lasts substantially; other income and assets; lump sums for a car, holiday or aged care; and the sequence of returns, which matters when the early years are poor. Treat the answer as a planning figure and re-run it each year.
Frequently asked questions
How long will $500,000 last in retirement?
About 17 years drawing $40,000 a year (rising with inflation at 2.5%) with a 6% net return, about 26 years drawing $30,000 and about 36 years drawing $25,000. Without inflation indexing, a drawdown below the 6% earnings ($30,000) never runs out. Add the Age Pension from age 67 (a couple with $500,000 of assets receives a part pension) and the same balance lasts much longer.
How much super do I need to retire?
The ASFA Retirement Standard (June quarter 2026) puts a comfortable retirement at about $56,200 a year for a single and $79,000 for a couple who own their home, needing about $630,000 and $730,000 in super at 67 alongside a part Age Pension. A modest lifestyle ($36,500 single, $52,700 couple) needs about $110,000 and $120,000 because the full Age Pension covers most of it. Your own number depends on spending, home ownership and other assets.
What return should I assume for super in retirement?
A net figure after fees. Over the past 20 years balanced options have averaged around 6.5% a year and growth options 7% or more, but with large swings. Retirement-phase earnings are tax free, which lifts the net return compared with accumulation. Many planners use 5% to 6% for a balanced option and 4% for conservative; test a lower figure to see the risk.
What is the minimum I must withdraw from an account-based pension?
A percentage of the balance at 1 July each year set by age: 4% under 65, 5% at 65–74, 6% at 75–79, 7% at 80–84, 9% at 85–89, 11% at 90–94 and 14% at 95 or over. There is no maximum. The minimum ensures super is used for retirement income rather than estate planning; drawing only the minimum makes the balance last longest.
Does the Age Pension count?
Not in this calculator. The Age Pension (about $32,200 a year for a single and $48,500 for a couple at the September 2026 rates of $1,237.70 and $1,866 a fortnight including supplements, indexed twice a year) is means tested on assets and income. From 20 September 2026 a home-owning couple receives the full pension with up to $499,000 of assessable assets (the home is not counted) and a part pension up to $1,121,000; for a single home owner the limits are $333,000 and $745,750. For most retirees with $300,000 to $800,000 in super, the pension supplies a large share of income and the super balance is drawn down more slowly.
Sources and assumptions
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