What this chart shows
The withdrawal sequence chart is a stacked area chart where each coloured layer represents one investment account. As drawdown progresses through retirement, the chart shows which accounts shrink first, which are preserved, and when each account runs out.
The asset projection chart shows total assets as a single line. The withdrawal sequence chart breaks that total down by account, stacking them on top of each other. Each layer represents the balance of one account type:
- SIPP / DC Pension
- ISA
- GIA
- Cash
- Premium Bonds
The total height of the stack at any point in time equals the total asset value shown in the projection chart. The two views are always consistent.
How to read it
The stacking order
Accounts are stacked in a consistent order in the chart. Accounts lower in the stack are drawn from first, according to the configured withdrawal order. As the first account is depleted, the layer for that account shrinks to zero, and subsequent years show only the remaining accounts.
Watching accounts deplete
When an account is exhausted, its layer disappears from the chart. In a scenario where the ISA is drawn first, the ISA layer shrinks progressively and eventually disappears. The SIPP layer (stacked above it) then begins to shrink in subsequent years.
Accounts that grow
Some accounts may grow even during the drawdown phase. If the SIPP is not being drawn because the ISA is first in the withdrawal order, the SIPP continues to grow at its assumed growth rate. This appears as a widening layer for that account during years when it is not being drawn.
State Pension and DB pension income
Guaranteed income sources (State Pension, defined benefit pension) are not included in the stacked chart because they are income flows, not asset balances. Their income reduces the amount the engine needs to withdraw from investment assets. When State Pension starts, the depletion rate of investment accounts may slow noticeably.
Couples mode
In couple mode, the chart shows assets for both partners combined. For the most granular view of who holds what, refer to the cashflow table, which shows individual balances per partner.
Controls
To explore different withdrawal sequences, create two scenarios with identical assets but different withdrawal orders. Compare the withdrawal sequence charts side by side on the Dashboard. The stacked chart makes it visually clear how the ordering affects account longevity — information that is less obvious from the single-line projection chart.
What it does not tell you
The withdrawal sequence chart reflects only investment account balances — SIPP, ISA, GIA, cash, and premium bonds. It does not show property asset values, even when property is included in the scenario.
The chart shows the result of the configured withdrawal order. It does not compare alternative orderings. To assess the effect of changing the withdrawal sequence, create separate scenarios and compare them.
The chart reflects a single deterministic projection under fixed growth rate assumptions. It does not show how account depletion ages would shift under different return sequences. For that view, use the Monte Carlo fan chart.