{
  "id": 4716400,
  "title": "$1.6 Million Nest Egg at 61 Buys About $35,000 a Year Until Social Security Arrives",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/30/1-6-million-nest-egg-at-61-buys-about-35-000-a-year-until-social",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-08-30T12:38:54.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Finance",
    "slug": "yahoo-finance",
    "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/articles/1-6-million-nest-egg-123854921.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "At age 61, a person with a $1.6 million investment portfolio faces a challenging decision when Social Security benefits become available between ages 67 and 70. While the portfolio can initially support around $35,000 in annual spending after accounting for taxes and health insurance premiums, the withdrawal rate should be conservative, between 3.25% and 3.5%. Once Social Security kicks in, the same portfolio can potentially support double that amount due to higher income. The biggest risk is sequence-of-returns, where poor early years in the portfolio can have lasting negative effects. Strategies to manage these bridge years include withdrawing from taxable accounts first, using Roth balances, and holding a short Treasury ladder for immediate expenses. It's crucial to keep modified adjusted gross income low to preserve ACA subsidies and avoid the high out-of-pocket costs of ACA marketplace plans once Social Security begins. Consulting a fee-only advisor can help navigate these complex financial decisions.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}