thegreatdane asks,

Does that 5% withdrawal, 20x expenses leave anything at the end of, say, forty years? I couldn't download the chart to run my own numbers.

Using the Retire Early Safe Withdrawal Calculator, 77% stock, and a 0.20% investment expense ratio I calculated that a 5% inflation adjusted withdrawal rate is 85% survivable. That means that in 15% of the 40 year pay out periods between 1871 and 1998 you would have run out of money in less than 40 years. There is a 50/50 chance that a retiree starting with $1 million and a 5% withdrawal would have at least $3.65 million at the end of 40 years. In the best 40 year period (the maximum Terminal value), you would have had more than $30 million in the account at the end of 40 years.

intercst