Retirement Withdrawal Scenarios
Retirement Withdrawal Scenarios
I’ve calculated several monthly withdrawal scenarios for a $728,000 retirement balance based on different safe withdrawal rates. You can review them in this table to see how each approach affects your income and risk level.
How much does Dave Ramsey suggest that you retire, percentage-wise?
When asked about how much you should withdraw from retirement savings “percentage‑wise,” Dave Ramsey famously recommends an 8% annual withdrawal rate from your nest egg YouTube+15Nasdaq+15McLean+15.
What Dave Ramsey Suggests
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8% Annual Withdrawal: Ramsey’s approach is more aggressive than the conventional 4% rule. He suggests withdrawing 8% of your portfolio’s starting value in your first retirement year, then adjusting that amount annually for inflation Nasdaq+1.
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Requires 100% Equity Allocation: This strategy assumes that your retirement assets are fully invested in stocks, banking on an ongoing market return of around 10–12% per year Reddit+3Nasdaq+3Oak Harvest Financial Group+3.
Context & Criticism
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Very Aggressive Strategy: Critics argue that this approach is risky. Historical simulations show that an 8% withdrawal rate with a 100% equity allocation only succeeded in sustaining savings over a 30-year retirement window in approximately 37% of cases McLean+2Wikipedia+2.
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Mainstream Alternatives:
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4% Rule: Widely accepted and considered conservative/safe, designed to sustainably last around 30 years Oak Harvest Financial Group+14Moneywise+14Reddit+14.
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3% Rule: Some experts—such as Suze Orman—recommend an even more cautious rate, especially for early retirees Nasdaq+2Nasdaq+2.
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Quick Comparison
| Expert | Recommended Withdrawal Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dave Ramsey | 8% annually | Aggressive; assumes strong market returns. |
| Typical Rule of Thumb | 4% annually | Balanced, historically backed approach. |
| Conservative View | ~3% annually or less | Aimed at reducing risk, especially for early retirement. |
Bottom Line: Dave Ramsey recommends withdrawing 8% per year from your retirement savings. This is significantly higher than most financial advisories endorse and comes with higher risk, especially in volatile markets or as part of a long retirement period.

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