How much can I safely spend each year in retirement?

A reasonable starting estimate is 3.5%–4.5% of your invested portfolio in the first year, plus your guaranteed income from Social Security and any pension. So a $1 million portfolio supports roughly $35,000–$45,000 from investments on top of those checks. But 'safe' depends on your age, asset mix, and flexibility – a 55-year-old should lean lower than a 70-year-old, and someone willing to trim spending in bad years can start higher. The most important factor is flexibility: small, temporary cuts after a market drop dramatically improve how long the money lasts. Don't treat any single percentage as gospel; revisit it yearly. Get a personalized estimate based on your balances, expenses, and time horizon at wealthserene.com/tools/retirement-planner.