Corpus longevity · Safe withdrawal rate · Inflation-adjusted income · Retirement planning · Illustrative estimates only
Disclaimer: All SWP projections are illustrative estimates based on the assumed return rate you enter. Mutual fund returns are subject to market risk and are not guaranteed. The 4% safe withdrawal rate is a general guideline, not a guarantee. Actual returns may vary. This calculator does not constitute financial advice. Please consult a SEBI-registered investment adviser before making withdrawal decisions.
A Systematic Withdrawal Plan (SWP) lets you withdraw a fixed amount from your mutual fund or investment corpus at regular intervals — usually monthly — while the remaining balance stays invested and continues to earn returns. It's the mirror image of a SIP: instead of feeding money in, you're drawing it out, while the rest keeps working for you.
Type your starting corpus or use quick presets from ₹10L up to ₹5 Cr.
Enter your monthly withdrawal amount and your assumed annual return rate.
Review corpus longevity and how your withdrawal rate compares to the 4% FIRE benchmark.
Add a step-up withdrawal, inflation adjustment, or exit corpus goal, then compare two scenarios side by side.
Each month, two things happen to your corpus in sequence: it earns a month's worth of growth at your assumed annual return, then your withdrawal amount is deducted. This repeats every month until either the withdrawal duration ends or the corpus reaches zero — whichever comes first.
| Variable | Meaning | Effect on Corpus Longevity |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Corpus | Lump sum you start the SWP with | Larger corpus directly extends how long withdrawals can continue |
| Monthly Withdrawal | Fixed amount withdrawn each month | Higher withdrawal depletes the corpus faster — the single biggest lever |
| Assumed Return | Expected annual growth rate on the remaining balance | Higher return helps the corpus outlast withdrawals, but is never guaranteed |
| Withdrawal Rate | Annual withdrawal as a % of initial corpus | Rate below the assumed return generally sustains or grows the corpus; rate above it depletes the corpus over time |
Inputs: Corpus = ₹50,00,000 | Withdrawal = ₹25,000/month | Return = 10% p.a. | Duration = 20 years
If you want this same corpus modelled against a different withdrawal amount or return assumption, try plugging the numbers into the retirement calculator to see how withdrawal needs change once you have your full expense estimate.
The 4% rule, popularised by the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) community, suggests that withdrawing 4% of your corpus in the first year — and adjusting that amount for inflation each year after — has historically had a low probability of depleting a well-diversified portfolio over a 30-year retirement, based on backtested US market data. This calculator's Safe Withdrawal Rate indicator compares your actual annual withdrawal rate (withdrawal ÷ initial corpus) against the 4% benchmark, so you can see at a glance whether your plan sits in conservative, moderate, or aggressive territory. A withdrawal rate meaningfully above 4% generally means either your assumed returns need to be unusually strong, or your corpus will likely deplete before a long retirement ends.
A fixed monthly withdrawal amount loses purchasing power every year as prices rise. Two settings in this calculator address that directly:
Increases your withdrawal amount by a fixed percentage every year, so your income keeps pace with rising costs or a planned lifestyle change. A higher step-up rate depletes the corpus faster than a flat withdrawal, so it's worth checking the corpus-lasts estimate after turning this on.
Shows what your monthly withdrawal is actually worth in today's rupees after inflation erodes its purchasing power over the years. A ₹25,000 withdrawal 20 years from now at 6% inflation buys roughly what ₹7,800 buys today — useful for checking whether your plan will genuinely cover your future expenses, not just hit a target number on paper.
If your withdrawal rate exceeds what your assumed return can sustain, the corpus depletes — slowly at first, then faster, because each year's growth is calculated on a progressively smaller base. This calculator flags depletion with a warning banner and shows the exact month the corpus is projected to reach zero, so the risk is visible immediately rather than buried in a table. The Exit Corpus Goal setting lets you target a specific remaining balance at the end of the withdrawal period — for instance, if you want to leave an inheritance for your children or maintain an emergency reserve rather than draw the corpus down to zero.
An SWP is one of several ways to generate a regular income from a lump sum. Each has a different trade-off between flexibility, growth potential, and certainty:
| Option | Growth Potential | Flexibility |
|---|---|---|
| SWP from Mutual Funds | Market-linked — can outpace inflation but not guaranteed | High — withdrawal amount, frequency, and corpus can be adjusted anytime |
| FD Interest / Withdrawal | Fixed, predictable, generally lower than long-term equity returns — see the FD calculator | Moderate — premature withdrawal may attract a penalty |
| Annuity Plans | Fixed payout, locked in at purchase | Low — corpus is typically locked in for life with limited or no withdrawal flexibility |
Many retirees in practice use a mix — some allocation to SWP for growth potential and flexibility, and some to FDs or annuities for the predictability of guaranteed income. Use the RD calculator or FD calculator alongside this tool if you're comparing a blended approach.
A Systematic Withdrawal Plan lets you withdraw a fixed or increasing amount from a mutual fund or investment corpus at regular intervals, typically monthly, while the remaining balance stays invested and continues to earn returns. It works in the opposite direction of a SIP — instead of investing money in regularly, you're withdrawing it out regularly, while the rest of the corpus keeps growing.
Each month, the remaining corpus first earns growth at the assumed annual return rate, then the monthly withdrawal amount is deducted. This repeats every month until either the chosen withdrawal duration ends or the corpus reaches zero, whichever happens first. Corpus longevity depends on the relationship between the withdrawal rate and the assumed return — a withdrawal rate below the return rate can sustain or even grow the corpus, while a withdrawal rate above it will deplete the corpus over time.
The 4% rule suggests withdrawing 4% of your corpus in the first year of retirement and adjusting that amount for inflation each subsequent year, based on historical backtesting that showed this approach had a low probability of depleting a diversified portfolio over a 30-year period. It originates from US market data and a 30-year horizon, so it should be treated as a general reference point rather than a guarantee — actual outcomes depend on real market returns, inflation, and how long the withdrawal period actually runs.
If your annual withdrawal rate exceeds your assumed annual return, the corpus depletes over time — slowly at first, then faster, because each year's growth is calculated on a progressively smaller remaining balance. This calculator shows a depletion warning and the estimated month the corpus would reach zero, so you can adjust your withdrawal amount, duration, or return assumption before the plan is finalized.
A step-up withdrawal increases your monthly withdrawal amount by a fixed percentage every year, so your income keeps pace with rising costs or a planned increase in lifestyle expenses instead of staying flat in rupee terms. Because the withdrawal amount grows each year, a step-up plan depletes the corpus faster than an equivalent flat withdrawal at the same starting amount, so it's worth checking the corpus-lasts estimate after enabling it.
A fixed rupee withdrawal loses purchasing power every year as prices rise, even if the number on paper never changes. The inflation-adjusted income figure shows what your withdrawal is actually worth in today's rupees, which is a more realistic measure of whether the plan will cover your real future expenses than the nominal withdrawal amount alone.
An exit corpus goal is the amount you want to remain in your investment at the end of the withdrawal period, instead of drawing the balance down to zero — for example, to leave an inheritance or maintain a financial buffer. Setting a target above ₹0 lets you check whether your current withdrawal plan will leave at least that much remaining after all scheduled withdrawals.
Neither is universally better — they trade off differently. An SWP from mutual funds offers market-linked growth potential that can outpace inflation over the long run, along with flexibility to change the withdrawal amount anytime, but returns are not guaranteed and the corpus can fall in a downturn. A fixed deposit offers a predictable, guaranteed return but typically lower long-term growth and may carry a penalty for early withdrawal. Many retirees use a mix of both rather than relying on just one.
No. Mutual fund returns are subject to market risk and are never guaranteed, regardless of the return rate assumed in any calculator. This calculator's results are illustrative projections based on the return rate you enter — actual returns can be higher or lower in any given year, which will change how long your corpus actually lasts compared to the projection.
This calculator applies your exact inputs — corpus, withdrawal amount, assumed return, duration, and any step-up or inflation settings — using a consistent month-by-month calculation, so the arithmetic itself is precise for the assumptions given. The accuracy of the real-world outcome depends entirely on how close your assumed return rate turns out to be to actual future returns, which cannot be predicted. Use this tool for planning and scenario comparison, not as a guarantee of future income.
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