Withdrawal Strategies
72(t) SEPP, guardrails, constant dollar, and bucket strategies for accessing retirement funds.
4 articles
Tax-efficient retirement withdrawal order
Combine taxable-account spending with Roth conversions to fill the low tax brackets and save $100,000 or more versus the conventional sequential drawdown.
Guardrails withdrawal strategy - spend flexibly
Guyton-Klinger guardrails support a 5-5.5% starting withdrawal rate. Cut spending 10% when the rate drifts 20% above the start; raise 10% when 20% below.
72(t) SEPP calculator - retire before 59½
The 10% early-withdrawal penalty blocks most FIRE plans. 72(t) SEPP is the IRS-sanctioned escape - three calculation methods plus the modification trap.
Bucket Strategy for Retirement: 3-Bucket Approach Explained
The 3-bucket retirement strategy divides your portfolio by time horizon — cash, bonds, stocks. Research shows it works behaviorally, not mathematically. Here's how to set it up and when it actually helps.