Safe Withdrawal Rates, Drawdown Strategies, RMDs and 50 Year FI Timelines
Release Date: 09/08/2025
Cognitive Behavioral Tools for FI With Jasper Lee, PhD | Ep 573
ChooseFI
Show Notes Guest: Jasper Lee, PhD - Clinical Psychologist Episode Summary: In this episode, Jasper Lee discusses the psychological elements that impact the journey to financial independence (FI). He provides actionable insights on dealing with emotions and behaviors that influence financial decisions, emphasizing cognitive restructuring and behavioral activation as key strategies. Key Takeaways Psychology in FI: 90-95% of the FI journey is psychological, with the remaining being about the mechanics of money. Understanding Money Scripts: Early lessons about money shape...
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Bias Towards Action: The Adventure List(s) | Ep 572
ChooseFI
In this episode, hosts Brad, Emily W, and Emily C delve into the importance of building meaningful friendships and adding adventure to life. They discuss the concept of an "adventure list," embracing vulnerability, and the creativity that can stem from constraints. The conversation encourages listeners to engage in various levels of travel experiences, stepping out of their comfort zones to enrich their lives. Key Topics Discussed Introduction to the Episode 00:00:00 Meet the Emilys 00:01:05 The Concept of Friendship in FI 00:02:40 The depth and sincerity of friendships formed...
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Getting Personal with Personal Finance: Maggie Tucker | ep 571
ChooseFI
Maggie Tucker shares her journey to financial independence at the age of 41, discussing her experiences with fear and anxiety about leaving a secure job. Her insights on the importance of community, transparency in financial matters, and travel with children highlight how to embrace a fulfilling life beyond conventional measures of success. Timestamps & Key Topics: 00:00:00 Podcast Intro 00:01:38 Maggie's Financial Journey Maggie reflects on her upbringing and financial habits. 00:07:02 Overcoming Financial Fears Maggie discusses her fears about running out of...
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State of the Stock Market 2025 Q&A with Brian Feroldi | Ep 570
ChooseFI
Brian Feroldi discusses the current state of the stock market, providing insights on market valuations, personal investment strategies, and the impact of artificial intelligence on stock analysis. The conversation highlights the importance of sustainability in stock market growth, potential investment pitfalls, and the benefits of leveraging AI tools for detailed analyses. Key Topics & Timestamps Introduction to the State of the Stock Market (00:01:01) Overview of stock market performance in 2025, with S&P 500 recording over 15% growth year-to-date. Current Market Valuation...
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Always Come Back to the Why | Alan and Katie Donegan | Ep 569
ChooseFI
Brad, Katie, and Alan Donegan discuss the significance of understanding the "why" behind pursuing financial independence (FI). They delve into their journey, emphasizing the importance of community, intentional spending, and lifestyle design. Listeners are encouraged to confront their fears of rejection when building friendships and to embrace vulnerability for meaningful connections. The Donegans advocate for tracking spending to align financial choices with personal values, reshaping the narrative around saving into one focusing on buying freedom. Chapters: Introduction to the Donegans’...
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The FiiRE Framework With Paula Pant | Ep 568
ChooseFI
Paula Pant introduces her innovative FI-I-R-E framework, which encompasses Financial Psychology, Increasing Your Income, Investing, Real Estate, and Entrepreneurship. The discussion emphasizes the critical role of financial psychology in shaping one’s financial decisions and behaviors. Paula's approach aims to inspire excitement about personal finance by promising financial independence and work optionality, challenging traditional views on spending and earning. The episode is filled with practical insights and actionable strategies for enhancing financial mindset and exploring...
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Are We Taking the Wrong Risks? With Chris Hutchins | Ep 567
ChooseFI
Brad interviews Chris Hutchins, host of the podcast All The Hacks. They dive deep into challenging the traditional mindset of financial independence (FI), exploring the balance between saving for the future and enjoying life experiences in the present. The discussion revolves around the potential pitfalls of overly conservative financial strategies and emphasizes the importance of prioritizing valuable life experiences while ensuring future financial security. Conservative Goals Discussion (00:01:12) Chris shares his reflections on why many in the FI community may prioritize...
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Risk Based Guardrails for Drawdown | Ep 566
ChooseFI
Brad welcomes Aubrey Williams, a financial advisor and member of the ChooseFI community. They discuss innovative strategies for financial independence (FI), focusing on flexible withdrawal rates, dynamic spending adjustments using historical analysis, and how adopting a more adaptable mindset can potentially lead to earlier FI. Timestamps & Discussion Topics: 00:00:00 Intro to Financial Independence Overview of the FI journey and the community's philosophy. 00:03:00 Aubrey's Background Aubrey shares his journey from a corporate career to becoming a financial advisor,...
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Tax Planning To and Through Early Retirement | Cody Garrett & Sean Mullaney | Ep 565
ChooseFI
Brad Barrett hosts Cody Garrett and Sean Mullaney, co-authors of Tax Planning To and Through Early Retirement, exploring essential tax strategies for the FI community. They address misconceptions about retirement taxes, the drawdown process, and effective tax rates, emphasizing the importance of informed planning to navigate financial independence smoothly. Key Takeaways: Understanding the complexities of drawdown strategies is essential for early retirement planning. Fear surrounding retirement taxes can often be mitigated through knowledge and strategic planning. Most retirees benefit...
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Financial Independence Basics with Jackie Cummings Koski | Ep 564
ChooseFI
Jackie Cummings Koski returns to discuss the fundamental principles of financial independence (FI) and early retirement. The conversation emphasizes the importance of understanding FI—financial independence lets individuals no longer depend on a paycheck, offering options and freedom in life. Jackie shares insights on creating habits, starting small with savings, and the invaluable impact of community on one's financial journey. Strategies such as evaluating expenses and adopting an action-focused mindset are crucial. The duo explores essential concepts like the 4% rule, the significance of...
info_outlineChooseFI unveils a new feature on the website that allows listeners to have their financial independence questions answered by experts. Featuring in-depth discussions with Karsten Jeske (Big Earn) and Fritz Gilbert, the episode explores the ramifications of potentially increasing the safe withdrawal rate and provides critical insights into retirement strategies, including cash flow considerations like Social Security and required minimum distributions (RMDs).
Key Topics Discussed:
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Introduction to New Features (00:00:00)
- Introduction of a Q&A functionality on the ChooseFI website for community engagement.
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Listener Questions Segment (00:00:36)
- Introduction to the expert answers provided by Karsten and Fritz.
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Discussion on Safe Withdrawal Rates (00:05:26)
- Explanation of the traditional 4% rule and its significance.
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Karsten's Perspective on the 5.5% Rate (00:07:45)
- Critique of Bill Bangan’s proposed increase in the safe withdrawal rate and why it may be misleading.
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Nuances of Early Retirement (00:34:25)
- Insights on adjusting retirement strategies when planning for longer horizons, emphasizing the time value of money.
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Fritz on RMDs and Safe Withdrawal Rate (00:36:16)
- Explanation of how RMDs impact withdrawal strategies, highlighting that RMDs apply only to pre-tax accounts.
Actionable Takeaways:
- Adjust SWR to account for extended Retirement horizons
- Incorporate potential income sources such as Social Security into your retirement planning. (00:35:01)
- Carefully consider your asset allocation to manage risks related to early retirement (e.g., sequence of return risk). (00:48:06)
Key Quotes:
- "The proposed 5.5% withdrawal rate is misleading and overly optimistic." (00:09:21) - Karsten Jeske
- "A safe withdrawal rate must not fall below 3.25% for financial security." (00:35:41) - Karsten Jeske
- "Plan for additional income sources like Social Security in retirement." (00:35:01) - Karsten Jeske
- "RMDs do not dictate your total spending in retirement." (00:39:00) - Fritz Gilbert
- "Behavioral finance warns against the pitfalls of emotional investing." (00:51:16) - Brad Barrett
Timestamps:
- 00:02 - Invitation to submit questions at choosefi.com/feedback.
- 00:05 - Introduction of Karsten Jeske and Fritz Gilbert.
- 00:09 - Discussion on the safe withdrawal rate controversy.
- 00:35 - Required minimum distributions explained.
- 00:49 - Dynamic withdrawal strategies overview.
Discussion Questions:
- How do you view the proposed increase in safe withdrawal rates?
- What strategies are you incorporating to prepare for early retirement?
- In what ways can Social Security impact your withdrawal strategy?
- How do you reconcile RMDs with your personal withdrawal goals?
Related Resources:
- Early Retirement Now Blog: Insights into safe withdrawal rates.
- Retirement Manifesto: A guide to successful retirement strategies