The Father of the 4% Rule - an Interview with Bill Bengen

If you've been anywhere close to a retirement podcast over the last 10-20 years, you've heard of the 4% rule. And like many people, you might have questions about it.

We're going to hear about it directly from the horse's mouth as we talk to Bill Bengen, who first articulated the 4% withdrawal rate as a rule of thumb for withdrawal rates from retirement accounts.

The 4% rule is not a rigid rule but a guideline. Its application requires careful consideration of individual factors, including health, life expectancy, and specific financial circumstances. Bengen encourages retirees to tailor their withdrawal strategies based on their unique situations. Our discussion also explored required minimum distributions (RMDs), which may necessitate higher withdrawals in later years of retirement. However, Bengen suggests that for most people, RMDs would not exceed the calculated withdrawal rates until a very advanced age, making the two compatible.

Core Points:

• The 4% rule, initially a worst-case scenario calculation, suggests a 4% annual withdrawal from retirement savings. This has since been refined
• Research indicates a more generous 4.7% withdrawal rate is now possible due to portfolio diversification and lower investment costs
• Higher withdrawal rates might be feasible (5-5.5%), depending on market valuations and inflation
• Early retirement withdrawal timing significantly impacts long-term success
• Consider individual circumstances, market conditions, and inflation when adjusting withdrawal strategies

Resource:
Pre-order Bill Bengen’s new book, "A Richer Retirement: Supercharging the 4% Rule to Spend More and Enjoy More" https://www.bengenfs.com/order-my-book

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