What pros wish you knew about the “4% rule” in pricey cities Look, the classic 4% rule was built on a perfectly average America that, let’s be honest, doesn’t look like Manhattan, San Francisco, LA, Boston, or Seattle. The original research (Bengen, 1994; then the Trinity Study, 1998) used broad U.S. historical returns and nationwide inflation. It never assumed $4,000-plus rents, Bay Area property tax bills that make your eyes water, or Medicare premiums plus city-level surcharges nibbling at your cash flow. So, the 4% rule is a decent national benchmark. It’s just not a plan if your monthly “fixed”…

What the pros do when jobs get shaky Look, when unemployment starts creeping up and headlines get noisy, as they have in pockets of the market this year, seasoned folks don’t slam the retirement button. They widen the margin of safety first. It’s not flashy, but it works. Think: more cash on hand, slightly lower baseline spending, and tighter risk controls before making anything irreversible like filing for Social Security. If you’re Googling “should-i-delay-retirement-amid-rising-unemployment,” you’re asking the right question. Here’s the thing: pros assume bad news travels in packs. A layoff doesn’t always show up alone; it loves to bring…

No, Medicare won’t cover years of care, here’s the real risk No, Medicare won’t cover years of care, here’s the real risk. Look, I get it: we all pay into Medicare for decades and assume it’s the safety net for everything. It’s not. Here’s the thing, Medicare is built for skilled and acute care after an event (think a hospital stay, short-term rehab, home health with a skilled need). It does not cover ongoing custodial care like help with bathing, dressing, eating, or dementia supervision. That day-in, day-out help is exactly what drains portfolios, and it’s the part people confuse…