{
  "id": 7545674,
  "title": "The man who created the 4% rule for retirement savings now wants you to spend more — says 5.5% is 'more realistic'",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/the-man-who-created-the-4-rule-for-retirement-savings-now-wants-you",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-15T11:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Finance",
    "slug": "yahoo-finance",
    "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/options/articles/man-created-4-rule-retirement-113000867.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Bill Bengen, the creator of the 4% rule for retirement savings, now suggests retirees should consider spending 5.5% annually. In an interview with Business Insider, Bengen explained that the original 4% figure should be adjusted to 4.7% for more realistic conditions, but under current market conditions, he recommends a higher rate of 5.5%. This adjustment could have significant implications for retirement planning and spending habits. Historically, the 4% rule advised retirees to withdraw 4% of their portfolio in the first year, with subsequent adjustments for inflation. Bengen's recommendation is based on a different calculation, taking into account factors such as stock market valuations, inflation expectations, and diversification benefits across various asset classes. This newer approach allows for more conservative withdrawal rates, with a $1 million 401(k) generating an initial annual income of $40,000 under the 4% rule, $47,000 with 4.7%, or $55,000 at 5.5%.",
  "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."
}