The 4% rule was designed for 30-year retirements but FIRE retirees need portfolios lasting 50-60 years. Bengen's original research assumed a 50/50 stock/bond allocation; modern research from Kitces and ERN suggests 3.25-3.5% is safer for early retirees.
This guide covers variable percentage withdrawal, Guyton-Klinger guardrails, floor-and-ceiling approaches, bond tent strategy, Roth conversion ladders, and personalized withdrawal decision frameworks.
Originally published on WealthWise OS.