How To Retire on 1 Million Dollars (2023) | The Annuity Expert (2024)

It’s a question that crosses the minds of many Americans as they near retirement age: Can you retire on a million dollars? Is it enough money? The answer, unfortunately, is not a simple one. In this guide, we will explore the factors that play into whether or not you can retire on $1 million and what you need to do to make it happen. So, can you retire with $1 million? Keep reading to find out!

Table Of Contents

  1. Can I Retire On $1 Million? Is It Enough Money?
  2. How Long Will A Million Dollars Last In Retirement?
  3. How To Make $1 Million Last A Lifetime In Retirement, Guaranteed.
  4. Retiring On A $1 Million Comparison
  5. Social Security
  6. How To Retire On 1 Million Dollars, Immediately
  7. How To Retire On 1 Million Dollars In 5 Years
  8. How To Retire On 1 Million Dollars In 20 Years
  9. How To Retire On A Million Dollars By Age
  10. Living Off Interest On A Million Dollars
  11. How Much Does a $1 Million Payout?
  12. Why Buy An Annuity?
  13. How Long Will $1 Million Last In Retirement Calculator
  14. Keeping Up With Inflation
  15. Things To Consider When Retiring
  16. Next Steps
  17. Frequently Asked Questions
  18. Retirement Income Guides
  19. Earn The Highest Interest Rates On Savings Today
  20. Request A Quote

Can I Retire On $1 Million? Is It Enough Money?

You can retire on a million dollars, but it will not be easy. First, you must carefully budget and invest your money to ensure you do not outlive your savings. With careful planning, you can retire comfortably on $1 million. However, if you are not careful with your finances, you could struggle to make ends meet in retirement.

To retire on $1 million, you must have a nest egg of at least that size. If you do not have enough saved up yet, you will need to continue working and saving until you reach your goal. Once you have reached your goal, you can start planning for retirement.

There are a few things you need to consider when planning for retirement. First, you must ensure you have enough saved to cover your costs. This includes your living expenses, healthcare costs, and any other expenses you may have in retirement.

It would help if you also considered how much income you would need in retirement. You will need enough income to cover your basic living expenses and have some left over for leisure and other activities.

Finally, it would be best to consider how you would generate income in retirement. For example, you may need to continue working part-time or look into other sources of income, such as pensions or investment earnings.

With careful planning, you can retire on one million dollars. However, it will not be easy. You will need to budget carefully and invest your money wisely. If you are not careful with your finances, you could struggle to make ends meet in retirement.

How Long Will A Million Dollars Last In Retirement?

How long your one million dollars will last in retirement depends on a few factors. First, it depends on how much income you will need to cover your basic living expenses. Other retirement income sources, such as a pension or investments, will also affect how long your $1 million will last.

Another factor that will affect how long your $1 million will last in retirement is inflation. If prices rise over time, your $1 million will not go as far as it would have if prices had remained the same.

Finally, your lifestyle in retirement will also affect how long your $1 million will last. For example, if you plan to travel and live a luxurious lifestyle, your $1 million will not last as long as it would if you lived a more modest lifestyle.

Assuming you will need $40,000 per year to cover your basic living expenses, your $1 million would last for 25 years if there was no inflation. However, if inflation averaged 3% per year, your $1 million would only last for 20 years.

If you plan to live a more luxurious lifestyle in retirement, your million dollars will not last as long. For example, if you plan to travel the world and stay in 5-star hotels, your $1 million would only last for ten years.

To sum it up, how long a million dollars will last in retirement depends on your lifestyle and how much income you need to cover your basic living expenses. If you are careful with your spending, your $1 million could last many years. However, your $1 million may not last as long if you have a lavish lifestyle.

How To Make $1 Million Last A Lifetime In Retirement, Guaranteed.

The only way to guarantee you don’t run out of money in retirement is to purchase an annuity with a lifetime income rider. This will guarantee that you receive a certain amount of money each month for the rest of your life, no matter how long you live.

For example, if a 55-year-old person purchases a $1 million annuity with a lifetime income rider and wants to retire in 10 years at age 65, that person would receive roughly $10,121 per month for the rest of their life. If you live for 30 years in retirement, you will receive $3.6 million in payments. When the annuity owner dies, the remaining balance passes down to beneficiaries in a lump sum.

Retiring On A $1 Million Comparison

FeaturesAnnuity401(k)IRARoth IRA
Withdrawal Percentage5.20% – 6.55%4%4%4%
Can Income Increase?YesYesYesYes
Can Income Decrease?NoYesYesYes
How Long Will Money Last?Lifetime30 Years+30 Years+30 Years+
Annual Fees0 – 1.50%1% – 4%1% – 4%1% – 4%
TaxationTaxable/Tax-FreeTaxableTaxableTax-Free
Death BenefitAccount BalanceAccount BalanceAccount BalanceAccount Balance

Example: A 60-year-old retiree starts withdrawing immediately from their $1 million portfolio, they would receive:

Social Security

The average monthlySocial Security Incomecheck-in in 2021 is $1,543 per person. In the tables below, we’ll use an annuity with a lifetimeincome ridercoupled with SSI to give you a better idea of the income you could receive from $1,000,000 in savings. The data will be based on the following:

  • Social Security Benefitswill be based on couples at $3,086 total.
  • Deferredannuity with an income riderproviding amonthlyincome for life.
  • The starting point will be age 62 since this is the earliest age to collect SSI.

How To Retire On 1 Million Dollars, Immediately

The table below illustrates how muchmonthly income can be generated immediatelywith a combination of annuity payments and Social Security Income (SSI).

ADDITIONAL READING: How Much Does A $1,000,000 Annuity Pay?

AgeSSIAnnuityTotal
62$3,086$5,292$8,378
65$3,086$5,608$8,694
70$3,086$6,125$9,211

How To Retire On 1 Million Dollars In 5 Years

The table below illustrates how muchmonthly income can be generated in 5 yearswith a combination of annuity payments and Social Security Income (SSI). If you retire in 5 years on a $1,000,000 annuity, your monthly income for life would be:

AgeSSIAnnuityTotal
62$3,086$8,011$11,097
65$3,086$8,459$11,545
70$3,086$9,155$12,241

How To Retire On 1 Million Dollars In 20 Years

The table below illustrates how muchmonthly income can be generated in 5 yearswith a combination of annuity payments and Social Security Income (SSI). If you retire in 20 years on $1,000,000, your monthly income for life would be:

AgeSSIAnnuityTotal
42$3,086$11,625$14,711
45$3,086$12,338$15,424
50$3,086$13,661$16,747

How To Retire On A Million Dollars By Age

The following guaranteed income amounts are annual and do not include Social Security Benefits.

Retire At Age 55 With $1 Million.

The following table estimates the guaranteed annual income a 55-year-old can retire with $1 million. This does not include Social Security Benefits

Annuity Purchase DateAnnual Income At 55
Age 40$118,165
Age 45$107,026
Age 50$75,599
Age 55$54,800

Retire At Age 60 With $1 Million.

This table estimates the guaranteed annual income a 60-year-old can retire with $1 million. This table does not include Social Security Benefits.

Annuity Purchase DateAnnual Income At 60
Age 40$133,884
Age 45$121,263
Age 50$109,832
Age 55$83,668

Retire At Age 65 With $1 Million.

The following table estimates the guaranteed annual income a 65-year-old can retire with a $1 million annuity. This table does not include Social Security Benefits.

Annuity Purchase DateAnnual Income At 65
Age 40$148,055
Age 45$148,055
Age 50$147,762
Age 55$121,456

Living Off Interest On A Million Dollars

How much interest do 1 million dollars earn per year? Some retirees like to withdraw interest from a fixed-interest savings account like afixed annuity or CD. For example, the interest onone million dollarsis$250,922.56 over seven yearswith a fixed annuity,guaranteeing 3.25% annually.

Find all thecurrent fixed annuity rates here.

3.25% Interest Rate Over 7 Years

YearInterestEnding Amount
1$32,500.00$1,032,500.00
2$33,556.25$1,066,056.25
3$34,646.83$1,100,703.08
4$35,772.85$1,136,475.93
5$36,935.47$1,173,411.40
6$38,135.87$1,211,547.27
7$39,375.29$1,250,922.56

Earn The Highest Interest Rates On Savings Today

Fixed annuities are almost identical to Certificates of Deposit (CDs) accounts and provide higher interest rates and penalty-free withdrawals for income.

TermInsurance CompanyInterest Rate
N/AUFB Bank Savings Account5.02%
N/AUFB Bank Money Market5.02%
12 MonthsWestern Alliance Bank CD5.01%
24 MonthsBread Savings5.10%
27 MonthsSallie Mae5.15%
48 MonthsAmerico Fixed Annuity5.05%
5 YearsAmerico Fixed Annuity5.40%
6 YearsAmerico5.30%
10 YearsAmerican National5.45%

Disclaimer: This is a review. The Annuity Expert is not associated with a bank or credit union. However, fixed annuities are sold at most financial institutions. We aim to help you find the highest interest rates for your retirement savings. We may receive a small referral fee if you purchase something using a link in this article.

Find And Compare The Highest Interest Rates

Find the highest interest rates for your savings ranging from 3 months to 10 years, all in one place.

How Much Does a $1 Million Payout?

The following table will estimate how muchguaranteedincome a $1,000,000 annuity will pay outannually for the rest of a person’s life.

AgeImmediatelyIn 5 YearsIn 10 yearsIn 20 Years
40$133,884
45$148,055
50$109,832$163,935
55$83,668$121,456$178,105
60$61,000$92,729$134,484
65$67,300$101,506$146,108
70$73,500$109,859$157,132
75$76,600$120,779

Why Buy An Annuity?

Annuities are the only retirement plan in the United States that provides a guaranteed income for a lifetime, even if the plan runs out of money. As a result, the annuity is a money management tool in retirement, taking all the guesswork in budgeting your day-to-day expenses. By utilizing this financial plan, a retiree will never have toworry about running out of money.

Annuity Basics

Understanding Lifetime Income Riders

Estimate Your Retirement Income Payments

Take advantage of 17 different annuity calculators to determine the interest on a million dollars.

How Long Will $1 Million Last In Retirement Calculator

Annuities guarantee an income for the rest of your life. Use ourretirement calculatorto determine how much income your million dollars can generate now or in the future. Then request a free quote below.

Note: You can purchase an annuity (with no tax penalties) with your 401(k), IRAs, retirement accounts, investments, and cash.

Keeping Up With Inflation

Some annuities offer a guaranteed lifetime income that can regularly increase to keep up with inflation. Once the income increases, the payment amount is locked in and can never go backward from that point forward.

In the example below, a 64-year-old retiree with $100k purchased an increasing income rider. They started with a $4,750-a-year payout. By the time this retiree reached age 75, their annual income had increased to $8,581 a year and continued to increase after the account was spent down to zero.

How To Retire on 1 Million Dollars (2023) | The Annuity Expert (1)

Things To Consider When Retiring

How To Retire on 1 Million Dollars (2023) | The Annuity Expert (2)

Next Steps

If you have a million dollars saved for retirement, an annuity is the best way to ensure that money lasts for the rest of your life. Request a quote today to find out how much income you can receive from $1,000,000. Annuities are the only retirement plan in the United States that provides a guaranteed lifetime income, so don’t wait – get started on your golden years today!

How To Retire on 1 Million Dollars (2023) | The Annuity Expert (3)

Request A Quote

Get help from a licensed financial professional. This service is free of charge.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I retire at 40 with $1 million?

You can retire at the age of 40 with one million dollars. If you get an immediate annuity, you will receive $55,026 yearly for the rest of your life. The payout changes often and varies by state.

Can I retire at 45 with $1 million?

Yes, you can retire at 45 with one million dollars. You will get a guaranteed income of $57,180 each year for the rest of your life if you choose an immediate annuity. The payout changes frequently and varies by state.

Can I retire at 50 with $1 million?

You can retire at 50 if you have saved one million dollars. You will get a guaranteed income of $53,750 each year, starting immediately for the rest of your life. The income amount will stay the same and never decrease.

Can I retire at 55 with $1 million?

Yes, you can retire at 55 with one million dollars. You will receive a guaranteed annual income of $56,250 immediately and for the rest of your life. This income will stay the same and never decrease.

Can a couple retire on $1 million?

You can retire on one million dollars. Annuities can provide a guaranteed income for both spouse’s lifetimes. After researching 326 annuity products from 57 insurance companies, our data calculated that $1,000,000 would generate $53,700 annually starting immediately if both spouses were age 60, $59,400 if both spouses were age 65, and $62,400 if both spouses were age 70.

I’m 60 With $1 Million. How Much Can I Expect To Spend In Retirement?

If you buy a $1 million annuity at age 60, you will get $61,000 yearly for the rest of your life. This income will be guaranteed and will never decrease. However, if you wait until 61 to buy the annuity, your yearly income will be $66,786.

Can I live off the interest of $1,000,000?

If you have a fixed annuity with a rate of 3.25%, you can expect to collect between $29,569 and $32,107 in interest each year. This amount will depend on how often the interest is compounded and how often you withdraw money from the account.

Can you retire with a million dollars?

Yes, you can retire with a million dollars. However, it is essential to remember that your lifestyle may change, and you may have to adjust your spending accordingly.

Retirement Income Guides

*Disclosure: Some of the links in this guide may be affiliate links. I may receive a commission at no cost if you purchase a policy. It helps us keep the lights on!

How To Retire on 1 Million Dollars (2023) | The Annuity Expert (2024)

FAQs

How To Retire on 1 Million Dollars (2023) | The Annuity Expert? ›

How Much Does A $1 Million Annuity Pay pay per month? A $1,000,000 annuity would pay you approximately $5,677 each month for the rest of your life if you purchased the annuity at age 60 and began taking payments immediately.

How much monthly income will $1 million generate? ›

How Much Does A $1 Million Annuity Pay pay per month? A $1,000,000 annuity would pay you approximately $5,677 each month for the rest of your life if you purchased the annuity at age 60 and began taking payments immediately.

What is the average 401k balance for a 65 year old? ›

The average 401(k) balance by age
AgeAverage 401(k) balanceMedian 401(k) balance
50-55$161,869$43,395
55-60$199,743$55,464
60-65$198,194$53,300
65-70$185,858$43,152
5 more rows

How much does a $3 million dollar annuity pay? ›

A three million dollar annuity will provide a 65-year-old with roughly $201,900 per year for the rest of their life. When the annuity owner dies, the remaining balance passes down to beneficiaries in a lump sum.

Can I retire at 60 with $1 million dollars? ›

So, can you retire at 60 with $1 million, and what would that look like? It's certainly possible to retire comfortably in this scenario. But it's wise to review your spending needs, taxes, health care, and other factors as you prepare for your retirement years.

Can you live off the interest of $1 million dollars? ›

The historical S&P average annualized returns have been 9.2%. So investing $1,000,000 in the stock market will get you the equivalent of $96,352 in interest in a year. This is enough to live on for most people.

Are you considered rich if you have $1 million dollars? ›

Someone who has $1 million in liquid assets, for instance, is usually considered to be a high net worth (HNW) individual. You might need $5 million to $10 million to qualify as having a very high net worth while it may take $30 million or more to be considered ultra-high net worth.

What percentage of retirees have a million dollars? ›

In fact, statistically, around 10% of retirees have $1 million or more in savings. The majority of retirees, however, have far less saved. If you're looking to be in the minority but aren't sure how to get started on that savings goal, consider working with a financial advisor.

How much should I put in my 401k to be a millionaire by 65? ›

Start saving at an early age.

Compound interest does much of the work for you. If you wait until age 35 to start saving, you'll need to save over $10,000 per year to hit $1 million by 65, assuming the same investment returns.

What is the average 401k balance for a 72 year old? ›

The average 401(k) balance by age
AgeAverage 401(k) BalanceMedian 401(k) Balance
35 to 44$97,020$36,117
45 to 54$179,200$61,530
55 to 64$256,244$89,716
65 and older$279,997$87,725
2 more rows

Do millionaires use annuities? ›

Annuities And The Wealthy

Do you want to know one of the best-kept secrets of high-net-worth individuals? They use annuities for various reasons, including estate planning, tax savings, etc. This guide will discuss some of the most common reasons why high-net-worth individuals use annuities.

What is better than an annuity for retirement? ›

There are a variety of options that are better than an annuity for retirement depending on your financial situation and goals. These include deferred compensation plans, such as a 401(k), individual retirement accounts, dividend-paying stocks, variable life insurance, and retirement income funds.

Who should not buy an annuity? ›

You should not buy an annuity if Social Security or pension benefits cover all of your regular expenses, you're in below average health, or you are seeking high risk in your investments.

What is a good monthly retirement income? ›

According to data from the BLS, average incomes in 2021 after taxes were as follows for older households: 65-74 years: $59,872 per year or $4,989 per month. 75 and older: $43,217 per year or $3,601 per month.

Can you retire on a million dollars and Social Security? ›

It's definitely possible, but there are several factors to consider—including cost of living, the taxes you'll owe on your withdrawals, and how you want to live in retirement—when thinking about how much money you'll need to retire in the future.

How much money do you need to retire with $100000 a year income? ›

This means that if you make $100,000 shortly before retirement, you can start to plan using the ballpark expectation that you'll need about $75,000 a year to live on in retirement. You'll likely need less income in retirement than during your working years because: Most people spend less in retirement.

How much interest does $1 million dollars earn per year? ›

How much interest does $1 million make per year? Forbes reports that, on average, investors can expect about a 10% annual return on the S&P 500 — that's $100,000 per year, provided you reinvest at least some of the dividends. However, your return depends on several different factors.

How long will $1 million last in retirement? ›

A recent analysis determined that a $1 million retirement nest egg may only last about 20 years depending on what state you live in. Based on this, if you retire at age 65 and live until you turn 84, $1 million will probably be enough retirement savings for you.

Is $1 million enough to retire at 55? ›

In fact, a recent survey found that investors believe they'll need at least $3 million to retire comfortably. But retiring with $1 million is still possible, even as early as age 55, if you're smart about it. It will require some careful planning since you'll have to wait 10 years for Medicare, but it can be done.

How much passive income can I generate with $1 million dollars? ›

Assuming a conservative average interest rate of 1% per year, a $1 million dollar investment in a high-yield savings account or a Certificate of Deposit (CD) could potentially earn approximately $10,000 per year in interest income.

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