BiggerPockets Money Podcast The Secret to Retiring Early AND Spending More Money
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Aug 29, 2025 Financial planner Aubrey Williams, an advocate for a flexible approach to retirement, joins the hosts to unveil his revolutionary guardrails strategy. He challenges traditional retirement myths, shaping a mindset that empowers retirees to enjoy their wealth. The conversation covers adjusting spending according to market conditions, the psychological barriers to spending freely, and tools for effective decumulation. Aubrey's insights provide a refreshing view on early retirement, revealing that you can retire early, spend well, and live better.
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Plans Should Assume People Will Adjust
- FI planning assumes fixed withdrawals but real retirees adjust spending frequently.
- Designing plans that expect adjustment yields more realistic and usable guidance.
Model Decumulation With Historical Tools
- Use available tools (FireCalc, Projection Lab, SWR calculators) to model decumulation not guess.
- Run historical simulations rather than relying on a single fixed withdrawal percent.
Why 4% Exists — Sequence Risk, Not Average
- The 4% rule arose from historical cohorts and sequence-of-return risks, not average returns.
- Stagflation-era low returns and high inflation set the conservative safe withdrawal thresholds.