Retirement Distributions: All S&P 500 vs. 60/40 Portfolio

Sound Investing · Sep 24, 2025 · 37m

Paul Merriman continues our series on radical lifetime investment strategies—comparing an all-equity S&P 500 portfolio to a balanced 60% equity/40% bonds portfolio.

After two episodes focused on the accumulation phase, this third installment shifts to retirement distributions:

How much income could each portfolio provide?

How did they hold up during major market crashes?

What role did bonds play in protecting withdrawals during tough years?

Using 55 years of historical data (1970–2024) and key tables B1

H2

H2A

D1.4

Paul shows the real-world impact of these strategies when you’re living off…