Free retirement withdrawal calculator
A retirement withdrawal calculator answers a question the "how much do I need" tools skip: once you're retired, which account should you spend from first? The order you tap taxable, traditional, and Roth accounts can add years to how long the money lasts, because each is taxed differently. Coastline models the withdrawal sequence with full tax math, so you see the after-tax income each strategy actually delivers.
How each account is taxed on the way out
The reason order matters is that a dollar isn't a dollar — it depends where it lives:
| Account | Tax on withdrawal | Typical draw order |
|---|---|---|
| Taxable brokerage | Long-term capital gains on gains only | Usually first |
| Traditional 401(k) / IRA | Ordinary income on the full amount | Usually middle |
| Roth IRA / Roth 401(k) | Tax-free | Usually last |
Spending the taxable account first lets the tax-advantaged accounts keep growing, and preserves the tax-free Roth for last (and for heirs). But "usually" is doing real work here — a rigid order can be the wrong one.
Why a smarter order beats a rigid rule
- Fill low brackets deliberately. Draining taxable accounts to zero before touching traditional money can waste years of low brackets. Blending in some traditional withdrawals (or Roth conversions) early can lower lifetime tax.
- Mind the RMDs. Leaving a huge traditional balance untouched just defers the problem — required minimum distributions at 73/75 can force big taxable withdrawals later. Drawing some down earlier smooths the bill.
- Coordinate with Social Security and ACA. Withdrawal choices move your taxable income, which affects how much of your Social Security is taxed, your ACA subsidies before 65, and Medicare premiums after.
- Sequence risk. Holding a cash/bond buffer to spend from in down years — instead of selling stocks low — protects the portfolio regardless of account order.
Why Coastline's version is different
Most free calculators hand you a single headline number with the assumptions hidden. Coastline is built the opposite way:
- Real tax math, not a flat rate. It applies federal and state income tax, long-term capital-gains rules, and account-by-account treatment (taxable, traditional, Roth) — in both your working years and retirement.
- The whole journey. It models accumulation (saving and investing) and drawdown (spending it down), so you see how the plan connects end to end, not just one half.
- The math is shown. Every figure has a click-through breakdown of how it was computed — a level of transparency even paid tools rarely expose.
- US and Canada. It natively handles Canadian plans (RRSP, TFSA, CPP, OAS) alongside US accounts, which most calculators ignore.
- Free, no signup. No account, no email, no account-linking. Your inputs run the projection and are then discarded.
The best withdrawal order is specific to your account balances, tax bracket, and other income. Coastline models the full sequence and its taxes year by year — set up your accounts and compare strategies for free, with no signup.
Common questions
What order should I withdraw from retirement accounts?
A common tax-efficient default is taxable accounts first, then traditional (401k/IRA), then Roth last — which keeps tax-free money compounding longest. But the optimal order is personal and often blends accounts to fill low tax brackets; Coastline models the sequence with full tax math.
Why does withdrawal order matter?
Because each account is taxed differently — capital gains on taxable, ordinary income on traditional, tax-free on Roth. Choosing the order thoughtfully can lower lifetime tax and make the portfolio last longer, even with the same starting balance.
How does this connect to Roth conversions and RMDs?
Closely. Drawing some traditional money (or converting it) in low-income years shrinks the required minimum distributions that hit at 73/75, and coordinating withdrawals with Social Security and ACA thresholds lowers taxes further.
Is the calculator free?
Yes, completely free with no signup. Coastline shows the after-tax income of each withdrawal strategy year by year, with the math behind every figure.