4% Rule & Safe Withdrawal Strategy (India)

Design withdrawals that last through retirement. Manage sequence risk with buckets and SWP.

SWRBucket strategySequence risk

What is the 4% Rule?

The 4% Rule is a retirement withdrawal guideline: withdraw 4% of your total corpus in the first year, then increase that rupee amount each year by inflation. With a balanced portfolio, this aims to make your money last about 30 years.

Example

If your retirement corpus is ₹2 crore, 4% = ₹8 lakh in year 1. Next year, adjust that ₹8 lakh for inflation (you don’t recalc 4% again).

Key Assumptions

  • Stay invested (e.g., ~50–60% equity; rest in bonds/cash).
  • Long-term markets deliver positive real (inflation-adjusted) returns.
  • Withdraw annually even during market declines.
  • Designed for a ~30-year retirement horizon.

Why It Matters

  • Helps size your target retirement corpus.
  • Gives a simple, “safe” withdrawal benchmark.
  • Great as a quick thumb rule without complex math.

Bucket Strategy

  • Bucket 1: 12–24 months expenses in cash/ultra-short debt
  • Bucket 2: 3–5 years in high-quality debt
  • Bucket 3: Long-term growth in equity

Longevity / SWP Estimator

Education only; not investment advice. Assumptions are illustrative and can change with markets and regulation.