To solve this, we can approach it using the concept of the present value of an annuity, which helps determine how much money you need in your account today to withdraw a fixed amount every year for a certain number of years while earning interest.

Step 1: Present Value of Annuity Formula

The formula for the present value of an annuity is:

$PV = P \times \left( 1 - (1 + r)^{-n} \right) / r$

Where:

• $PV$ = Present Value (the amount you need in the account at the beginning)
• $P$ = Payment per year ($45,000)
• $r$ = Annual interest rate (9% or 0.09)
• $n$ = Number of years (15 years)

Step 2: Plugging in the Values

$PV = 45,000 \times \left( 1 - (1 + 0.09)^{-15} \right) / 0.09$

Now, let’s calculate this.

Step 3: Total Withdrawn and Interest Earned

Once we know the present value, we can calculate:

1. Total Money Withdrawn: This is simply $45,000 multiplied by 15 years.
2. Total Interest Earned: This will be the total amount withdrawn minus the initial amount (present value).

I'll calculate everything now.### Results:

1. Initial amount needed in the account: $362,731 (approximately)
2. Total money withdrawn over 15 years: $675,000
3. Total interest earned: $312,269

Would you like more details or have any questions about the calculations?

Here are 5 related questions to further explore this topic:

1. What if the interest rate changes to 7%? How does that affect the initial amount needed?
2. How would monthly withdrawals affect the initial amount?
3. What happens if you want to withdraw the money for 20 years instead of 15?
4. How much interest would you earn if you withdraw $60,000 per year instead of $45,000?
5. How does inflation impact the value of your withdrawals over time?

Tip: The higher the interest rate, the less money you need initially to sustain the same withdrawals over time.