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Retirement & Aging

"Will my money outlast me?"

Decumulation phase planning — different math from accumulation. When to claim Social Security, how fast to draw down without depleting, RMD timing on traditional accounts, healthcare and long-term care exposure, and the tax-aware sequencing of which bucket to spend first.

⚠ Financial planning estimates only. Tools in this dimension model decumulation scenarios using current SSA rules, IRS RMD schedules, and standard withdrawal-rate research. They are not legal, tax, investment, or insurance advice. Social Security rules, RMD ages, and tax treatment change with legislation; your actual eligibility and outcomes depend on personal factors. Consult an SSA representative, CFP, or tax professional for real decisions.
7
simulators
Decumulation
phase-specific math, not accumulation
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Decumulation isn't just accumulation in reverse

Accumulation has time on its side — bad years average out over decades. Decumulation has the opposite: a bad first decade can permanently impair a portfolio that would've lasted at average returns (the sequence-of-returns risk that the FIRE Calculator surfaces). On top of that, you're juggling Social Security claim timing, traditional vs Roth withdrawal order, RMD strict timelines, and the long-term-care/healthcare exposure that grows non-linearly with age. The tools here treat this phase as its own discipline rather than an afterthought to wealth-building.

All 7 simulators

Late-stage planning connects to every other dimension

A right-sized FIRE number depends on whether your post-65 health stays cheap or expensive — exercise habit has decade-scale ROI in retirement years. Chronic worry about whether your money lasts shows up as measurable stress cost and healthcare overrun, which feeds back into the FIRE number itself. And the daily habit you're maintaining at 60 compounds into late-life quality of life, the way pre-tax compounding worked when you were 30 — just with a different output.

Frequently asked questions

Why a 'Retirement & Aging' dimension separate from Finance and Investment?
Accumulation and decumulation are fundamentally different math. Accumulation asks 'how much should I save?' and runs forward through compounding. Decumulation asks 'how fast can I draw down without running out?' and runs backward through sequence-of-returns risk, longevity uncertainty, and tax-bucket sequencing. The same person needs both, but the tools speak different languages.
When should I claim Social Security — 62, FRA, or 70?
Depends on three things: your longevity expectation, your other income sources, and whether you need cash flow before FRA. SSA's reduction formula (5/9% per month for first 36 months, 5/12% thereafter) and delayed retirement credits (2/3% per month, 8%/year) are deterministic. Claiming at 62 vs 70 with FRA 67 is a ~76% swing in monthly benefit. If you expect to live past ~80, delaying usually wins on present value; if you have a serious illness or family history of early mortality, claiming early usually wins. The Social Security Claim Age tool computes the PV under your specific assumptions.
What's the 4% rule and when does it stop working?
The Trinity Study (Cooley, Hubbard, Walz 1998, AAII Journal) found that withdrawing 4% of starting portfolio (inflation-adjusted thereafter) survived 30-year retirements in ~95% of historical periods. For early retirement (40-50 year horizons typical for FIRE), that drops to 76-86% per Wade Pfau and Michael Kitces follow-up research. The practical adjustment: aim for 3.3-3.5% withdrawal at age 45 retirement, plus 2-3 years cash buffer for sequence-of-returns insurance.
Required Minimum Distributions — when do they actually start and why care?
Per SECURE 2.0 Act (2022): RMDs start at age 73 for those reaching 72 after Dec 31, 2022, then age 75 starting 2033. Applies to traditional IRAs, 401(k)s, 403(b)s — not Roth IRAs (Roth 401(k) RMD requirement was eliminated by SECURE 2.0). The 'care' is twofold: missing an RMD triggers a 25% excise tax penalty (10% if corrected promptly), AND RMDs can push you into higher tax brackets if you've accumulated meaningfully in pre-tax. The pre-RMD years (typically 60-72) are prime Roth conversion window for tax-aware decumulation.
Are these tools financial advice?
No. Every tool in this dimension is a financial-planning estimate sized for personal decision exploration. They are not legal, tax, investment, or insurance advice. SSA rules, RMD timing, healthcare options, and tax treatment depend on your specific eligibility, jurisdiction, and current law. Consult an SSA representative, a CFP, or a tax professional for real retirement-phase decisions.
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