Understanding the Tools in Your Retirement Income Toolbox

You should be familiar with all of the tools in your retirement income toolbox. Retirement plans can be built to manage varying risks by strategically combining the following retirement income tools in different ways.
How Should I Spend My Money in Retirement?

The whole point of saving your money is to be able to use it in the future. You’ve spent decades saving for retirement, so you want to use the money in the most effective way possible.
Total Return vs Income Investing: Same, but Different

Retirees can take 2 main approaches to spending from portfolios. 1) Focus on income and dividends produced in the portfolio, a.k.a. “income investing.” 2) Sell assets as appropriate to meet spending needs. For your portfolio, they’re basically the same thing. But, from your point of view, you should be aware of one difference: focusing on income investing can make your portfolio less diversified.
Safe Withdrawal Rates for Retirement and the Trinity Study

One of the classic studies in the field of financial and retirement planning is the Trinity Study.
Lifecycle Finance: An Alternative For A Lifetime Financial Plan

Some of the most common rules of thumb used to guide retirement planning include the following:
Retirees should be able to sustainably withdraw 4% of their retirement date assets over their retirement.
Ten Reasons Why the 4% Rule is Too Simplistic for Retirement Planning

What is the highest withdrawal amount as a percentage of retirement date assets that with inflation adjustments will be sustainable for the full 30 years? Here are 10 reasons that 4% may not be the appropriate withdrawal rate for every new retiree.
The Shocking International Experience of the 4% Rule

The Shocking International Experience of the 4% Rule. An argument made in support of the 4% rule is that despite what I argued before, post-1926 U.S…
Are market valuations the most important factor for retirement income strategies?

The question remains as to whether historical withdrawal rates provide sufficient insight about what can reasonably be expected to work for more recent retirees.
Spending Amounts vs Spending Value

How much should you plan to spend each year in retirement? That depends in large part on your budget.
Fixed Time Horizons vs. Survival Probabilities for Retirement Planning

The planning horizon for the 4% rule is 30 years, but how long will your retirement really last?