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The week's question
In March 2025, in the thread "Re: OT, out", Umm asked the members: "Do you think it is because America is made up of magical soil that makes businesses based in America magically profitable?" This week it is put to everyone again. The button below opens the small thread re-asking it - read what others have said so far, then give your own answer as an ordinary reply.
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Personal Finance / Retirement Investing
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Author: sykesix ✭  😊 😞
Number: of 1355 
Subject: Re: Zweig article/30-year Returns
Date: 09/05/25 6:44 PM
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Jason Zweig is one of the best finance writers out there. I do have slight quibble with this:

One popular rule of thumb is that you will have to cover only 70% to 80% of your pre-retirement spending. (Another version says you will need to replace about the same amount of your pre-retirement income.)

I've typically heard a hybrid of those: you will need to replace 80% of your pre-retirement income. That make sense because if you on are track to FIRE or even RE comfortably you necessarily need to have a high savings rate, on the order of 15-20%. In retirement taxes drop typically significantly do to favorable treatment of capital gains and retirement accounts and lack of FICA.

Since you are no longer saving and one of your biggest expenses is reduced, so the need for income is also reduced. Spending is controllable too. The article quoted a gentleman who wound up spending just as much as he did when he was working because he was out doing things. That's a choice. You can spend more in retirement if you like, but you have to work longer.

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This community has written 1,284 posts about Retirement Investing. The article-length ones it recommended most:
The Case for Long-Term Buy and Hold Investing · 49 recs · 2025
Transferring assets to the next generation · 20 recs · 2025
Retirement Year 8 · 17 recs · 2025
(nearly) year one of retirement has been good · 11 recs · 2026
Buying Treasuries Via Vanguard · 10 recs · 2023
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