5% is the new 4%
“Bengen demonstrates that the 4% Rule isn’t the right guidance anymore, not because it’s too risky, but because it’s too conservative. Yes, you read that right. The founder of the 4% Rule thinks that we can withdraw more from our portfolios given the updated historical data.”
– Nick Maggiulli, in a 9/23/25 post on his blog, Of Dollars & Data. He is referring to Bill Bengen, originator of the idea that retirees can safely withdraw 4% of their investment portfolio, plus an annual increase for inflation, and have little risk of running out of money. Bengen is out with a new book that updates his guidance. Read more at bit.ly/4pAAtNP.
What wealth weakens
“A life that dazzles from the outside but feels hollow within is not success.”
– Richard (who goes by his first name only), in a 9/10/25 post on his blog, Life After the Daily Grind, where he writes about “philosophy, money, and happiness.” He notes that prosperity sometimes comes at the cost of social connection. Read more at bit.ly/46EAOqk.
Unrealistic expectations?
“58”—the average age when people think they should retire, according to a recent national survey.
– From an 8/23/25 CNBC article. That’s far younger than the age when most people retire and may not be possible, given current savings rates. Read more at bit.ly/46prA28.
Systems thinking
“Being process-oriented means you diagnose a problem before offering a solution, create rules to guide your actions and understand sometimes the outcomes are out of your control. But you need processes to survive an unknowable future…. [I]t’s impossible to survive in the markets...if you don’t rely heavily on a well-thought-out process.”
– Ben Carlson, in a 9/12/25 post on his blog, A Wealth of Common Sense. Read more at bit.ly/46Alwmu.
Steady plodding hits a cultural headwind
“People are finally starting to see that ‘speculation is entertainment’ and I believe a massively large lifestyle trend.”
– Financial blogger, entrepreneur, and venture capitalist Howard Lindzon, in a 9/23/25 post on his Howie Town blog. He’s been writing about—and capitalizing on—the trend of speculative activities, such as online gambling and day-trading, becoming normalized. Collectively, he calls such activities the “degenerate economy.” Read more at bit.ly/4mxCZS8.
No free lunch
“What is raised by printing notes is just as much taken from the public as is a beer-duty or an income-tax. What the government spends the public pays for. There is no such thing as an uncovered deficit.”
– The late English economist John Maynard Keynes, from his timeless 1923 publication, A Tract on Monetary Reform. Read more at bit.ly/47WO63A.
