If you are a retired Baby Boomer, or a Baby Boomer who has done any retirement planning at all, you are almost certainly ...

For three decades, the classic 4% rule has been the shorthand answer to a brutally complex question: how much you can safely spend from your portfolio each year without running out of money. That ...

The 4% Rule is arguably the most famous strategy for making sure your retirement income lasts long. Developed in the 1990s, it offers an evidence-based answer to most retirees’ question: “How much can ...

The number depends on a handful of factors, the most important of which is your age.

The classic 4% rule for retirement withdrawals was built for a bygone era. Learn why it's less reliable today and how to build a flexible spending plan that fits your life.

Recent research supports moving away from rigid withdrawal rates. Morningstar’s December 2025 analysis recommends a 3.9% starting safe withdrawal rate for new retirees with a 30-year horizon—not 4%.

The 4% rule assumes a 30-year retirement horizon with a balanced stock-bond portfolio. Ramsey’s 8% rule requires a stock-heavy portfolio to generate sufficient returns. Both strategies demand ...

The “right” safe starting withdrawal rate is a moving target, depending on equity valuations, bond yields, prospects for inflation, and a retiree’s own life expectancy and asset allocation, among ...

I have always said that asset accumulation is easy but the true difficulty is in asset distribution. There is no single plan that is right for everyone. Perhaps the best-known distribution plan is the ...

For years, financial experts have stood by the 4% rule for managing retirement plan withdrawals. If that's not enough income for you, you may be able to go higher. You'll need the right mix of ...

Here’s What Your Retirement Spending Rate Should Be in 2026 New research shows that flexible withdrawal strategies can help you spend more in retirement. Christine Benz and Margaret Giles Dec 5, 2025 ...

Learn the early retirement withdrawal rules that allow you to access retirement funds before age 59½ without penalties, including the Rule of 72(t) and the Rule of 55, and how to use them wisely.