Tuesday, December 30, 2025

How to stretch the 4% rule

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The Daily Money

ALL THE MONEY NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Tue Dec 30 2025

Daniel de Visé | Personal Finance Reporter

Good morning! It's Daniel de Visé with your Daily Money.

The 4% rule of retirement puts you on an austere budget in your leisure years. Even if you save a million dollars, the 4% formula allows you to spend only $40,000 of your money in the first year.

But what if we said you could spend 5%?

Trump administration's DEI probes continue

The Trump administration is investigating diversity initiatives at major companies under the False Claims Act, a federal law the Department of Justice invokes against contractors that defraud the government. Targeted companies include Alphabet's Google and Verizon Communications.

📰 More stories you shouldn't miss 📰

•	5 Social Security changes for 2026
•	Tips for surviving 'gray divorce'
•	When political viewpoints clash at work
•	All about the Child Tax Credit for 2025
•	7 auto market trends for 2026

📰 A great read 📰

And here's a popular story from earlier this year that you may have missed. Read it! Share it!

Anyone, in theory, can attain the American dream. But at what price?

It now costs $5 million over a lifetime to fund eight key components of the American dream, according to a recent analysis from Investopedia .

Daniel de Visé covers personal finance for USA TODAY. The Daily Money breaks down complex consumer and financial news. Subscribe here.

Is the 4% rule too stingy for your retirement? Try spending 5%.

Illustration of a man putting money into several piggy banks for retirement.

Investment researchers have been playing around with the 4% rule, looking for ways that retirees can safely spend more on every retirement dollar.

University of Louisville students holding a rally to protect diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) on their campus in March 2024.

DEI fraud? Trump administration launches investigations

The Justice Department is investigating DEI initiatives at major companies under a federal law usually used to recover funds lost to fraud.

Is the American dream attainable? The dream is still alive for many people.

Here's what it costs to live the American dream today

Inflation has dimmed the American dream, Investopedia reports: Those lofty aspirations will now cost $5 million over a lifetime.

Social Security cards.

New year, new rules: 5 Social Security changes for 2026

Get ready to see how Social Security is evolving in the new year.

Photo Illustration of problems in a relationship. An older woman and an older man are sitting at home on August 13, 2024 in Berlin, Germany.

How to organize your finances after a 'gray divorce'

Gray divorce can bring liberation. It can also deliver financial ruin.

In today's polarized world, you'll undoubtedly work alongside people with opposing political or social views.

When political viewpoints clash in the office

Opposing views can feel uncomfortable or even offensive. Discomfort is not the same as mistreatment and not a reason to avoid working with someone.

Are you eligible for the Child Tax Credit this year?

How much could you get back for the Child Tax Credit?

The Child Tax Credit and the Additional Child Tax Credit can be a helpful moneysaver for parents and guardians.

A row of new trucks at a dealership.

What car buyers should expect in 2026

Car shoppers face high prices, shifting EV incentives, rising rates and a changing 2026 auto market. Here are the key trends buyers should know.

What's one way to feel happier? Go on a trip. According to G Adventures' recently released Happiness List 2026, 89% of Americans agree that purpose-driven travel contributes to their long-term happiness, offering a sense of wonder along with a chance to decompress and find connection. Here are 10 travel experiences that G Adventures' travelers said made them feel happiest. Panama's San Blas Islands are perfect for unplugging in exchange for enjoying turquoise waters and white sand. Travelers can stay in Indigenous-owned accommodations, including traditional huts, and explore the archipelago on boat trips.

These 10 trips made travelers happiest, according to a new survey

A new G Adventures survey reveals why purpose-driven trips make travelers happier, and which 10 experiences deliver the biggest joy boost.

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