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Retirement Income & Spending

Explore strategies for turning retirement savings into income, managing withdrawals, and balancing spending needs throughout retirement.

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01 What can the 4% rule tell me? Understand what this retirement spending benchmark can and cannot tell you. 02 How do pensions work? Compare pension structures and what they provide. 03 How does inflation affect retirement income? See how purchasing power can change in retirement. 04 How do fixed and variable annuities differ? Compare two common types of annuity contracts.

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Retirement Income & Spending articles

Recent guides and practical explanations from across this topic.

The 4% rule: Understanding retirement spending benchmarks Retirement Income & Spending
• 17 min read

The 4% rule: Understanding retirement spending benchmarks

Key takeaways Despite the name, the 4% rule is a retirement planning benchmark, not a hard-and-fast “rule.” It suggests withdrawing…
Ricardo Ramirez Ricardo Ramirez
What is a pension? Defined benefit vs. defined contribution Retirement Income & Spending
• 10 min read

What is a pension? Defined benefit vs. defined contribution

Key takeaways A pension is fundamentally a promise: a fixed monthly payment for life, funded by an employer, calculated from…
Ricardo Ramirez Ricardo Ramirez
What is an annuity? Fixed vs. variable Retirement Income & Spending
• 10 min read

What is an annuity? Fixed vs. variable

Key takeaways At some point in retirement planning, the question shifts from how to accumulate assets to how to make…
Ricardo Ramirez Ricardo Ramirez
What is inflation? Impacts on retirement purchasing power Retirement Income & Spending
• 11 min read

What is inflation? Impacts on retirement purchasing power

Key takeaways If grocery bills feel heavier than they did three years ago, that is not a matter of perception.…
Ricardo Ramirez Ricardo Ramirez
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