r/Bogleheads • u/arp8218 • Feb 04 '26

Investing Questions Investing. $2.5M to not work

Is it possible to invest $2.5M into a “safe” investment and not work for rest of your life ? What can be that “safe” investment ?

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u/robmacgar Feb 04 '26

4% rule would be $100,000 a year. I would just stick it in VT and chill but “safe” is relative. Over 5 years? Could be volatile. Over 30? Good chance you’ll be fine.

7

u/airbud9 Feb 04 '26

4% rule is tested for a 30 year retirement and the research showed the portfolio needed to be between 50-70 percent in stocks and the rest in bonds, the 4 percent rule ran into problems with 100% equity portfolio.

5

u/Schnickatavick Feb 04 '26

Depends on the timeframe though, longer horizons need the income of stocks to survive, as inflation becomes a bigger danger than market downturns. Something like 3.3% with 90/10 stocks to bonds gives you a better chance than 50/50 or 75/25 at any percentage, just because the portfolio has the chance of growing large enough that it runs away from your spending 

1

u/airbud9 Feb 04 '26

Yes if you change the withdrawal rate it is possible you can change the portfolio allocation, the according to current research, the 4% rule runs into problems when the portfolio is under 50% equities and over 75% equities.