What is Four Percent Rule?
1774 reads · Last updated: December 5, 2024
The Four Percent Rule is a retirement planning strategy designed to help retirees determine the safe amount to withdraw from their retirement savings annually to ensure that their funds last throughout their retirement. The rule, based on research, suggests that retirees withdraw 4% of their retirement savings in the first year and then adjust the withdrawal amount in subsequent years for inflation. The Four Percent Rule is widely used in personal financial planning, especially for retirees relying on an investment portfolio to cover living expenses.Key characteristics include:Initial Withdrawal Rate: Withdraw 4% of the total retirement savings in the first year of retirement as living expenses.Inflation Adjustment: Adjust the withdrawal amount for inflation in subsequent years to maintain purchasing power.Long-Term Planning: The rule is designed to ensure that retirement savings can support up to 30 years of retirement.Investment Portfolio: Typically assumes that retirement savings are invested in a diversified portfolio of stocks and bonds for stable long-term returns.Example of the Four Percent Rule application:Suppose an individual has $1 million in retirement savings. According to the Four Percent Rule, they can withdraw $40,000 in the first year of retirement. Assuming an inflation rate of 2%, they would withdraw $40,800 ($40,000 × 1.02) in the second year, $41,616 ($40,800 × 1.02) in the third year, and so on.
