"Perhaps the safe number is now 3.5 or 2.8 percent. Here are a few other reasons the 4 percent rule might not work for you: You have an atypical investment allocation.... You have set aside a big cash pile.... Taxes will make a big difference.... Investment expenses will eat into the returns.... Making a one-time big purchase that violates the withdrawal rules will cause havoc... You want to withdraw more in the early years and dial it back in the later years... A pension or annuity without inflation adjustments makes the math more complicated."  MORE >>