SWP Calculator
Plan a steady income from your investments. Enter a corpus, a monthly withdrawal and an expected return, then press Calculate to see how the balance holds up and whether it lasts.
Written by TopicDrill Editorial Team·Updated June 2026
Balance versus money taken out
Advertisement
How the SWP calculator works
Each month the tool first applies your return to whatever balance remains, then removes your fixed withdrawal. The order matters: the corpus earns on its full balance before you take money out, which is how an SWP keeps the leftover capital productive. This repeats month after month for the horizon you set.
The chart contrasts two lines. The shaded area is the corpus balance, which falls when withdrawals outpace growth, and the dashed line is the cumulative cash you have taken out. Where the balance line touches zero, your plan has been fully drawn down.
A quick example
Invest 10,00,000 at a 9 percent return and withdraw 8,000 a month for 15 years. Because the corpus earns roughly 7,500 in the first month against an 8,000 withdrawal, the balance dips only slightly at first, and compounding on the remainder keeps it comfortably positive for the whole stretch in this case.
Things to keep in mind
A constant return hides sequence risk: a bad stretch in the early years can empty a corpus that a steady average would have preserved. Build in a margin and revisit the plan often. For guidance on planning retirement income, see the CFPB retirement resources. To model building the corpus in the first place, try our STP calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is a systematic withdrawal plan?
A systematic withdrawal plan, or SWP, lets you take a fixed amount out of an invested corpus at regular intervals, usually every month. The money you have not yet withdrawn stays invested and keeps earning a return, so the plan can pay you an income while the balance continues to work.
Will my corpus ever run out with an SWP?
It depends on the balance between your withdrawal and your return. If each month's withdrawal is smaller than the growth the corpus earns, the balance can even rise over time. If you withdraw more than it earns, the corpus shrinks and eventually empties. This tool shows the exact month it would run dry.
How is an SWP different from a fixed deposit payout?
A fixed deposit pays a guaranteed interest amount and returns your principal untouched. An SWP draws from a market linked corpus, so the income is not guaranteed and each withdrawal slowly consumes the principal unless growth keeps pace. In exchange an SWP can offer higher long term returns and more flexible amounts.
Is the return in an SWP guaranteed?
No. The annual return you enter is an assumption used to model the plan. Real market returns vary year to year, so a year of poor returns early on can drain the corpus faster than a steady average suggests. Treat the result as a planning guide and review your withdrawal amount regularly.
Related guides
View all →Advertisement