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A comment on Hard-won lessons about money and investing. Parent comment

Re:Hard-won lessons about money and investing by YZF on Sunday November 30, 2014 @04:33PM (#8678193)
From that link, under assumptions: "You can earn 5% investment returns after inflation during your saving years"

If I could earn 5% after inflation without risk I could retire today (well, I'd be retired many years ago, if that's what I want to do). The problem is that's simply not possible. If you have a family you can't take the risk of putting all your money in stocks as there can be periods of well over a decade where the real return is negative and you'll run out of money. You need a lot more buffer.

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Re:Hard-won lessons about money and investing by dllthomas on Sunday November 30, 2014 @04:49PM (#8678257)
It says "during your saving years", which I understand to mean while you are working. This would seem to leave you the flexibility to adjust if your return doesn't meet your expectations (as compared to an assumption of X% return while retired).
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