We calculate safe withdrawal rates for all possible combinations of 1) starting dates, 2) retirement horizons, 3) equity weights, 4) final asset values and 5) withdrawal patterns:
1739 possible retirement start dates between February 1, 1871, and December 1, 2016.
4 different retirement horizons: 30, 40, 50, and 60 years
21 different equity weights from 0% to 100% in 5% steps (bond weight = 100%-equity weight)
5 different final asset value targets: 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% of real inflation adjusted initial asset value
9 different withdrawal patterns. The baseline assumes that withdrawals are adjusted in line with CPI inflation, but we also allow for slower than CPI-growth. We also check how lower withdrawal rates 20 or 30 years after the retirement start date (to account for Social Security income) will impact the maximum sustainable withdrawal rates.
Hence, we calculate 1739 x 4 x 21 x 5 x 9 = 6,573,420 different safe withdrawal rates.