What this chart shows
The asset projection chart is the main chart on the Results page. It plots the combined value of all investment assets — SIPP, ISA, GIA, cash, premium bonds — year by year from the start of the simulation to projected life expectancy.
The horizontal axis represents time (years or age). The vertical axis represents total asset value in nominal pounds — the actual pound amounts of each future year, before adjusting for inflation.
The chart addresses three fundamental questions about a retirement projection:
- Will the money last? If the line stays above zero through to life expectancy, assets are projected to remain throughout.
- When do assets peak? Usually shortly before or at retirement, when contributions stop and drawdown begins.
- At what age does the fund deplete? If the line reaches zero before the projection ends, the chart marks the year of depletion.
How to read it
The accumulation phase
The rising section of the chart — typically the working years — reflects contributions and investment growth combined. The steepness depends on the growth rate assumption, contribution amounts, and starting asset values.
The peak
The highest point is typically around retirement, when contributions stop and drawdown begins. In some scenarios, assets continue to grow in early retirement if investment returns outpace withdrawals. A rising peak after the retirement date indicates a conservative withdrawal rate relative to the growth assumption.
The drawdown slope
After the peak, the line typically declines as withdrawals exceed growth. The slope reflects the net rate at which assets are consumed.
A gentle slope means guaranteed income (State Pension, DB pension) is covering most spending and withdrawals from investment assets are modest. A steep slope means a large proportion of spending comes from asset withdrawals. The key question is whether the slope reaches zero before the projection ends.
If the line reaches zero
The chart marks the depletion point — the year in which total liquid assets hit zero. From that point, the simulation has no assets to draw from. To explore what changes the depletion date, adjust the scenario: defer retirement, reduce spending, or change the growth rate assumption.
What property shows on the chart
Property assets (primary residence, secondary property) are included in total assets and appear in the chart. Property is not drawn from in the withdrawal sequence by default — it grows or declines in value but is not liquidated unless a property sale event is added to the scenario. A scenario where property value is large but liquid assets are depleted may show a non-zero total even though liquid assets have run out.
What it does not tell you
The single-line projection is a deterministic outcome — it assumes the growth rate is achieved exactly every year. Real investment returns vary year to year, and the sequence of those returns matters, particularly in early retirement.
The chart does not show the range of possible outcomes across different return paths. To see percentile bands across thousands of simulated return sequences, use the Monte Carlo fan chart.
The chart also does not show the composition of total assets by account. To see which accounts are being drawn down and when each is exhausted, use the Withdrawal Sequence chart.