Jun 4, 2026
Morningstar lowered the safe withdrawal rate to 3.9%. Learn how the utilization of a static rate may not actually be optimal.
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Retirement Plan Checklist: Retirement Checklist
What is a safe withdrawal rate for my retirement portfolio?
You should move past static retirement metrics. While Morningstar’s
updated research establishes a conservative, baseline safe
withdrawal rate of 3.9% to counter 2026 market realities, executing
a single flat percentage over a multi-decade timeline is
inefficient.
Video Chapters:
0:00 - Is the traditional 4% retirement withdrawal rule dead?
1:04 - Can I safely take out 5.7% of my retirement?
3:46 - Why is spending money in retirement so difficult?
07:49 - What is financial planning "Gamma"?
12:14 - Will selling my vacation home change my retirement
timeline?
15:42 - Should I take my annual retirement distribution all at once
in January?
17:03 - How do I use a dynamic withdrawal strategy to survive a
market crash?
21:52 - Does a commission-free annuity make sense for
retirement?
25:16 - Can I use a temporary annuity to bridge the gap until my
age 70 Social Security maxes out?
27:02 - Which account should I pull from first to lower my
taxes?
28:54 - Am I accidentally paying ordinary income tax rates on my
bonds and CDs?
29:51 - How do I qualify for a 0% tax rate on my stock
dividends?
31:14 - Will the Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT) trigger a stealth
tax on my brokerage wins?
35:05 – By how much should I reduce spending if the stock market
drops?
Sources:
Insights provided by Chris Rett, CFP®, AIF® and Dean Barber Managing Director of Modern Wealth Management, LLC.
Morningstar: Estimate How Much You Can Spend in Retirement (2026 Safe Withdrawal Rates): https://www.morningstar.com/retirement/estimate-how-much-you-can-spend-retirement Morningstar Investment Management: "Alpha, Beta, and Now... Gamma" (David Blanchett & Paul Kaplan):
https://www.macrotrends.net/2016/10-year-treasury-bond-rate-yield-
chart
https://www.bankrate.com/banking/cds/historical-cd-interest-rates/
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/four-percent-rule.asp
https://news.northwesternmutual.com/2026-04-01-Americans-Believe-They-Will-Need-1-46-Million-to-Retire-Comfortably,-Up-More-Than-15-Since-Last-Year,-According-to-Northwestern-Mutual-2026-Planning-Progress-Study
https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/FEDFUNDS
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Investment advisory services offered through Modern Wealth Management, LLC, a registered investment adviser.
The views expressed represent the opinion of Modern Wealth Management a Registered Investment Adviser. Information provided is for illustrative purposes only and does not constitute investment, tax, or legal advice. Modern Wealth Management does not accept any liability for the use of the information discussed. Consult with a qualified financial, legal, or tax professional prior to taking any action.