Retirement Planning Basics

CFA Level III: Wealth Management and Institutional Investing · 4:16

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Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Sarah's twenty-five and starting out today
She's building up her nest egg, saving every pay
This is accumulation, growing wealth with time
Compound interest working, making dollars climb
She's got decades ahead to weather every storm
Building up her fortress, keeping money warm

[Chorus]
Accumulation builds it up, up, up
Decumulation spends it down, down, down
Four percent rule keeps you safe and sound
Annuities pay out when markets let you down
Plan your phases, know your stages
Retirement planning through the ages

[Verse 2]
Now Sarah's sixty-five, retirement's at her door
Time to flip the switch from saving to withdraw
Decumulation phase means spending what she's earned
But spend too fast and bridges will be burned
She needs to make her money last thirty years or more
A careful balance between ceiling and the floor

[Chorus]
Accumulation builds it up, up, up
Decumulation spends it down, down, down
Four percent rule keeps you safe and sound
Annuities pay out when markets let you down
Plan your phases, know your stages
Retirement planning through the ages

[Bridge]
Four percent withdrawal rate's the golden rule of thumb
Take that much each year and your money shouldn't run
But markets go up and down like waves upon the sea
Annuitization gives you guaranteed money
Insurance company promises to pay you every month
Even when the market gives your portfolio a punch

[Verse 3]
Sustainable withdrawal means your money doesn't die
It lasts throughout retirement beneath that endless sky
Sequence risk can hurt you if markets fall too soon
But proper planning helps you avoid that painful tune
Mix your strategies wisely, don't put eggs in one basket
Annuities and portfolios working in your casket

[Chorus]
Accumulation builds it up, up, up
Decumulation spends it down, down, down
Four percent rule keeps you safe and sound
Annuities pay out when markets let you down
Plan your phases, know your stages
Retirement planning through the ages

[Outro]
From twenty-five to ninety-five
Keep your retirement dreams alive
Build it up then spend it smart
Retirement planning is an art

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