How Long Will $750,000 Last in Retirement at 62?

If you are sitting on a $750,000 nest egg and thinking about retiring at 62, the question keeping you up at night is simple: will it last? The honest answer is that $750,000 typically lasts somewhere between 15 and 35+ years at age 62 — a huge range that depends almost entirely on how much you spend each year, what your money earns, and when you claim Social Security. At a moderate spend of around $37,500 a year (5%), most plans see the money stretch into your mid-to-late 80s. Spend more aggressively and you could run dry in your mid-70s; spend conservatively and it can outlast you.

The difference between those outcomes is not luck — it is planning. Below we break down the real math at several spending levels, explain why retiring at 62 specifically changes the equation, and show how to pressure-test your own numbers. You can model your exact situation in minutes with the RetireSpan retirement planner instead of relying on a single rule of thumb.

See exactly how long your $750k will last

Enter your savings, spending goal, and retirement date to get a personalized projection — plus a Monte Carlo probability of success. Download RetireSpan on the App Store or learn more on the RetireSpan landing page.

The short answer

For a quick benchmark, the well-known 4% rule — based on the Bengen and Trinity Study research — suggests you can withdraw 4% of your savings in year one and adjust for inflation afterward, with a high probability of the money lasting roughly 30 years. On $750,000 that is $30,000 in the first year, which at age 62 would carry you to around age 92.

But the 4% rule was designed as a worst-case guardrail, not a personalized forecast. Your real answer depends on your spending, your portfolio mix, and your other income sources. The table below shows how dramatically the timeline shifts. If you want to skip the rules of thumb entirely, you can run your own projection in the app.

The math: how long $750,000 lasts at different spending levels

The table below assumes you start with $750,000 at age 62 and withdraw a fixed amount each year, adjusted for inflation. To keep things honest, the returns shown are real (after-inflation) returns — so inflation is already baked in. A 0% real return is roughly cash; 2% is a conservative balanced portfolio; 4% is a moderate growth mix.

Annual Spending	0% Real Return	2% Real Return	4% Real Return
$30,000 (4%)	25 yrs · age 87	35 yrs · age 97	Never depletes
$37,500 (5%)	20 yrs · age 82	26 yrs · age 88	41 yrs · age 103
$45,000 (6%)	17 yrs · age 79	20 yrs · age 82	28 yrs · age 90
$52,500 (7%)	14 yrs · age 76	17 yrs · age 79	22 yrs · age 84
$60,000 (8%)	12 yrs · age 74	14 yrs · age 76	18 yrs · age 80

Figures are illustrative estimates based on a constant inflation-adjusted withdrawal and do not account for taxes, fees, or market volatility. Your real results will vary.

The takeaway is clear: the gap between spending $30,000 and $60,000 a year is the difference between your money potentially never running out and it disappearing before your mid-70s. Modeling that gap for your own household is exactly what the RetireSpan planner is built to do.

Why retiring at 62 changes everything

Retiring at 62 is not the same as retiring at 65 or 67, and the math above only tells part of the story. Three age-specific factors reshape how long your $750,000 really needs to last.

1. The Social Security "bridge" years. You can claim Social Security as early as 62, but doing so locks in a permanently reduced benefit — roughly 30% less than your full retirement age amount (67 for anyone born in 1960 or later). Many retirees instead use their savings as a bridge, spending down the portfolio harder in the early years so they can delay Social Security to 67 or even 70 for a much larger lifetime check. You can compare both paths side by side in the app's Social Security optimizer.

2. The Medicare gap. Medicare does not begin until 65. Retiring at 62 means covering roughly three years of private or ACA marketplace health insurance out of pocket — an expense that can easily add $15,000–$30,000 a year for a couple and accelerate how fast your savings drain.

3. Longevity risk. A 62-year-old today can reasonably expect to live into their mid-80s, with a meaningful chance of reaching 90 or beyond. Planning only to "average" life expectancy is a common mistake; a sound plan should comfortably fund a 30-year horizon to roughly age 92.

Tip: Treat the years between 62 and your Social Security claiming age as their own mini-plan. Your withdrawal need is usually highest during this window, then drops once benefits begin. A plan that survives the bridge years often succeeds overall.

How to make $750,000 last longer

If the table left you nervous, the good news is that several levers are within your control. None of these require earning a higher return — they are about structure and timing.

Use a bucket strategy. Splitting your savings into a cash bucket (1–2 years of expenses), a bonds bucket (years 3–10), and a stocks bucket (10+ years) means you never have to sell stocks during a downturn to pay the bills. This directly defends against the single biggest threat to an early retirement: sequence-of-returns risk. The RetireSpan planner includes a three-bucket builder with refill reminders.

Adopt dynamic withdrawals. Instead of a rigid inflation-adjusted amount, trim spending modestly in years the market falls and spend a little more after strong years. Even small adjustments can add years to your timeline.

Delay Social Security if you can. Each year you wait past your full retirement age (up to 70) increases your benefit by about 8% — a guaranteed, inflation-protected raise that no investment can promise.

Mind the order of withdrawals. Drawing from taxable accounts first, then tax-deferred, then Roth, can reduce your lifetime tax bill and stretch the portfolio. You can test how these choices move your timeline inside RetireSpan.

A single estimate is not enough: think in probabilities

Every number in the table above assumes a steady return. Real markets do not cooperate — they crash, surge, and stagnate in an unpredictable order. That is why a single "your money lasts 26 years" estimate can be misleading.

A Monte Carlo simulation solves this by running your plan against a thousand different randomized market scenarios and reporting how often it succeeds. A result like "your plan succeeds in 82% of scenarios" tells you far more than any single projection, because it accounts for bad timing. Generally, financial planners look for a success rate in the 80–90% range before calling a plan solid. You can run this stress test on your own $750,000 plan using the free tools on the landing page or directly in the app.

Stop guessing. Get a clear answer.

RetireSpan gives you a personalized longevity projection, a 0–100 retirement health score, a Monte Carlo success rate, and a Social Security optimizer — built specifically for people 55–65 planning to spend their nest egg wisely. Get it on the App Store or explore features on the RetireSpan website.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I retire at 62 with $750,000?

Yes, retiring at 62 with $750,000 is realistic for many households, especially if your annual spending stays in the $30,000–$45,000 range and you have Social Security to supplement it. The key constraints are covering health insurance until Medicare at 65 and not overspending in the early years. Modeling your specific budget in the RetireSpan planner is the fastest way to know for sure.

How much monthly income will $750,000 generate?

Using the 4% rule, $750,000 produces about $30,000 per year, or roughly $2,500 per month, in the first year before any inflation adjustments. A slightly higher 5% withdrawal yields about $3,125 per month but shortens how long the money lasts. Your sustainable monthly income depends on your expected retirement length and investment returns.

How long will $750,000 last with Social Security?

Social Security dramatically extends your savings because it covers part of your expenses, reducing how much you withdraw. If your benefit covers, say, $25,000 of a $50,000 budget, your portfolio only needs to fund the remaining $25,000 — which can stretch $750,000 well past 30 years. You can layer your estimated benefit into your plan inside RetireSpan.

Is $750,000 enough to retire at 62 for a couple?

It can be, but a couple's higher combined expenses and healthcare costs make budgeting tighter, particularly during the pre-Medicare years. Two Social Security benefits also help significantly once claimed. Couples should stress-test the plan against a longer joint life expectancy, since the odds that at least one spouse lives into their 90s are high.

What is the 4% rule for $750,000?

The 4% rule suggests withdrawing 4% of your starting balance — $30,000 from $750,000 — in the first year, then adjusting that dollar amount for inflation each year. It was designed to give a high probability of the money lasting about 30 years. It is a useful starting benchmark, but a personalized projection accounting for your real spending and Social Security is far more accurate.

Should I take Social Security at 62 if I have $750,000?

Not always. Claiming at 62 permanently reduces your benefit by roughly 30%, while delaying increases it by about 8% per year up to age 70. If your $750,000 can bridge the gap, waiting often produces more total lifetime income and better protects against outliving your savings. Comparing both scenarios in the app's Social Security optimizer makes the trade-off clear.

This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute personalized financial advice. RetireSpan is a planning and educational tool. Always consult a qualified financial advisor before making major retirement decisions.

Explore our apps · More articles