Ask Bill

This is your space to ask me questions, which I welcome.

Let’s establish some ground rules:

  1. I can only answer general questions about my research, my website, my book, and the 4.7% Rule. I can’t answer questions specific to your personal financial situation.
  2. Keep it clean. Keep it on topic. Keep it respectful.
  3. I will post my answer to your question on this board for all to see, in the hopes it helps many people. I will hide your identity.
  4. You may comment on my answer or others' comments. If you do so, please don’t forget rule #2. I will diligently remove comments I deem inappropriate.
  5. I’ll answer questions as soon as I can. If I get swamped, I apologize in advance for any delay.

Now: Ready, Aim and Fire those questions!

Thanks,

Bill Bengen

questions
Name

Answers From Bill

High stock allocations during retirement

ASSET ALLOCATION Great book. Looking at Figures 8.6A & 8.6B, there are only small periods of time when having a large percentage of bonds would optimize portfolio performance. However, your ...
Read More

Synthetic CWR Creator

Hi Bill! I am up late reading because I can’t put down your new book! I am learning so much and appreciate all of your examples. Is there a tool ...
Read More

SAFEMAX for 95% stock allocation

I just read your new book - Richer Retirement. What would the SafeMax initial withdrawal rate be for a 74 y/o whose asset allocation is 95% equities (index funds) and ...
Read More

TIPS

Dear Bill, I would be interested in any research you may have done, or are considering doing, to include Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS) in a portfolio. What portion of ...
Read More

Stock allocation

Phenomenal read. I finished your new book in one sitting and plan to recommend it to my friends. A couple questions: 1)How significant is the difference in asset allocation within ...
Read More

Creating a personal withdrawal plan in mid-retirement

I've just started reading your new book and have a general question. Someone fortunate enough to be embarking upon retirement can use your ideas to set their own SAFEMAX but ...
Read More

Does SAFEMAX include the effect of income taxes?

Is the safe withdrawal rate net of income taxes or including income taxes?  J.   Dear J, Thanks for your question and your interest in my research. The safe withdrawal ...
Read More

SSA benefits

Why don’t you include ssa benefit for some period of time in your portfolio? I look at it as an inflation adjusted annuity that is part of my portfolio. T. ...
Read More

SAFEMAX and very high Shiller CAPES

Bill, your new book is excellent, thank you for your efforts. One of the two or three must haves for retirees! My question is this. Since the book was written ...
Read More

Vanguard VT ETF as an alternative for exposure to global stocks

Hi Bill, thanks for the wonderful book! Your research uses 5 stock asset classes (US large, small, mid, micro, and international) weighted equally. I was wondering how the historical SAFEMAX ...
Read More

Global stock fund as an alternative to 5-asset stock allocation

Hi Bill, thanks for the wonderful book! Your research uses 5 stock asset classes (US large, small, mid, micro, and international) weighted equally. I was wondering how the historical SAFEMAX ...
Read More

Does the 4.7% rule still apply to people who retire much earlier in life?

Does the 4.7% rule still apply to people who retire much earlier in life or should the withdrawal rate be more conservative? Excellent question, AG. The safe withdrawal rate (SAFEMAX) ...
Read More