Bucket Strategy Drawdown Path
Calculator
Results
- Ending balance
- $2,744,115.23
- Total withdrawn
- $1,350,000.00
- Years funded
- 30 yr
- Bucket advantage
- $1,036,435.64
Portfolio balance path
- Ending balance
- Cumulative withdrawn
Year-by-year portfolio projection
| 1 | 45,000.00 | 56,100.00 | 1,011,100.00 | 45,000.00 |
| 2 | 45,000.00 | 58,546.00 | 1,024,646.00 | 90,000.00 |
| 3 | 45,000.00 | 60,480.98 | 1,040,126.98 | 135,000.00 |
| 4 | 45,000.00 | 62,590.88 | 1,057,717.86 | 180,000.00 |
| 5 | 45,000.00 | 64,889.52 | 1,077,607.38 | 225,000.00 |
| 6 | 45,000.00 | 67,391.76 | 1,099,999.14 | 270,000.00 |
| 7 | 45,000.00 | 70,113.55 | 1,125,112.69 | 315,000.00 |
| 8 | 45,000.00 | 73,072.04 | 1,153,184.73 | 360,000.00 |
| 9 | 45,000.00 | 76,285.65 | 1,184,470.38 | 405,000.00 |
| 10 | 45,000.00 | 79,762.93 | 1,219,233.31 | 450,000.00 |
| 11 | 45,000.00 | 82,196.33 | 1,256,429.64 | 495,000.00 |
| 12 | 45,000.00 | 84,800.07 | 1,296,229.71 | 540,000.00 |
| 13 | 45,000.00 | 87,586.08 | 1,338,815.79 | 585,000.00 |
| 14 | 45,000.00 | 90,567.11 | 1,384,382.90 | 630,000.00 |
| 15 | 45,000.00 | 93,756.80 | 1,433,139.70 | 675,000.00 |
| 16 | 45,000.00 | 97,169.78 | 1,485,309.48 | 720,000.00 |
| 17 | 45,000.00 | 100,821.66 | 1,541,131.15 | 765,000.00 |
| 18 | 45,000.00 | 104,729.18 | 1,600,860.33 | 810,000.00 |
| 19 | 45,000.00 | 108,910.22 | 1,664,770.55 | 855,000.00 |
| 20 | 45,000.00 | 113,383.94 | 1,733,154.49 | 900,000.00 |
| 21 | 45,000.00 | 118,170.81 | 1,806,325.30 | 945,000.00 |
| 22 | 45,000.00 | 123,292.77 | 1,884,618.07 | 990,000.00 |
| 23 | 45,000.00 | 128,773.27 | 1,968,391.34 | 1,035,000.00 |
| 24 | 45,000.00 | 134,637.39 | 2,058,028.73 | 1,080,000.00 |
| 25 | 45,000.00 | 140,912.01 | 2,153,940.74 | 1,125,000.00 |
| 26 | 45,000.00 | 147,625.85 | 2,256,566.60 | 1,170,000.00 |
| 27 | 45,000.00 | 154,809.66 | 2,366,376.26 | 1,215,000.00 |
| 28 | 45,000.00 | 162,496.34 | 2,483,872.59 | 1,260,000.00 |
| 29 | 45,000.00 | 170,721.08 | 2,609,593.68 | 1,305,000.00 |
| 30 | 45,000.00 | 179,521.56 | 2,744,115.23 | 1,350,000.00 |
Comparison
| Scenario | Ending balance | Total withdrawn | Years funded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baseline scenario | 1,707,679.60 | 1,350,000.00 | 30.00 |
| Selected scenario | 2,744,115.23 | 1,350,000.00 | 30.00 |
Formula
spend cash → bonds → equities; each bucket grows at its own r= 2744115.23
Note
This is not financial advice. It is a simplified model: it applies the displayed formula to the figures you entered, uses a single constant rate for every year unless you supplied more, and ignores taxes, fees, product charges and any country's specific pension, benefit or minimum-distribution rules. Sequence-of-returns risk and longevity risk are real: a run of poor early years can exhaust a portfolio that the average return alone calls safe, and living longer than projected is the risk this page cannot price. Real returns can be negative. Consult a licensed adviser before acting on any figure here.
More in Retirement drawdown
See all →Frequently asked questions
What is the bucket strategy?+
It splits your portfolio into separate buckets by time horizon — typically a cash bucket for near-term spending, a bond bucket for the medium term, and a stock bucket for growth over the long term. You draw from the cash bucket first and refill it periodically from the others.
Why not just hold one balanced portfolio and withdraw from it?+
The bucket approach is mathematically similar to a single balanced portfolio with the same overall allocation, but it can be psychologically easier: seeing 2-3 years of spending in cash makes it easier to leave the growth bucket alone during a market downturn instead of panic-selling.
How does the calculator decide when to refill the cash bucket?+
It typically refills from the bond or stock buckets on a schedule or when the cash bucket runs low, often preferring to draw from whichever bucket has grown or is otherwise not depressed, similar to a rebalancing rule.
Does the bucket strategy actually produce a different outcome than a blended portfolio?+
If refilling is done mechanically based only on time, results converge closely with an equivalent blended allocation. The real difference shows up if refilling decisions are opportunistic — for example, delaying a refill from the stock bucket during a downturn — which is a form of sequence-risk management.
What's a common mistake when interpreting the output?+
Assuming the cash bucket alone determines how long the money lasts. The cash bucket is just a spending buffer; the long-run sustainability of the whole plan still depends on the total portfolio's return, withdrawal rate, and time horizon, same as any other drawdown method.