153: Bill Bengen (The Inventor of the 4% Rule) Talks Retirement, Past Crashes, and How You Can Withdraw Even More!

He really is the man who needs no introduction (but here’s one anyways). Bill Bengen, the inventor of the 4% rule (and personal finance hero of Mindy & Scott) stops by the Money Podcast to talk about how he calculated his famed 4%, how he managed his client’s portfolios, and how the 4% has aged throughout the past three decades.

In his Original Article from the Journal Of Financial Planning, October 1994, Bengen outlined a groundbreaking calculation: a 4% withdrawal rate from your retirement accounts is all you need to comfortably retire (if enough is saved up). Bengen was hit with praise and criticism, but is still applauded to this day for having such a simple yet crucial metric for knowing how & when you can retire.

Using over 200+ retirement account portfolios spanning decades of time as research, Bengen still says with confidence, the 4% rule is a winner! He has the proof and we couldn’t agree more.

Whether you’re a few years or a few decades away from retirement, this episode features life-changing advice from one of the leaders in financial research. This is an episode you won’t want to miss!

In This Episode We Cover

What the 4% rule is

How Bengen came up with the 4% rule and why it stands the test of time

How inflation becomes the “thief in the night” for many investors

The best (and worst) times to invest

How to stay the course during financial downturn

Which asset classes boost great returns and withdrawal rates

Steering clear of “1 more year syndrome”

The importance of rebalancing your portfolio

How to not accumulate too much wealth for retirement

Why everyone needs to learn how to be a saver, so they can enjoy life!

And So Much More!

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