What are the Guyton-Klinger guardrails for retirement withdrawals?

Guyton-Klinger guardrails are a dynamic withdrawal method that adjusts your spending based on how your portfolio performs, rather than blindly raising withdrawals for inflation every year. You set an initial rate, then define upper and lower guardrails, often around 20% above and below your starting withdrawal percentage. If a market drop pushes your current withdrawal rate above the upper guardrail, you cut spending, often by 10%. If strong returns push it below the lower guardrail, you can give yourself a raise. This flexibility historically supports a higher starting rate than the rigid 4% rule while reducing the chance of depleting your portfolio.