Mark Bergman

Comments

• I disagree David. Forward looking projections are basically guesses. To paraphrase the White Coat Investor, “everybody’s crystal ball is cloudy”. Morningstar’s SWR has changed from 3.3 to 3.9 % over the past 3-4 years. That’s a HUGE range, and renders their proclamations near useless. BTW, where is that recession we have been hearing about, every year, since the pandemic ! While imperfect, I have more confidence in Bengen’s SWR analyses, based on the historical data available from the past 90ish years. Again, highly imperfect, but useful for a reasonable estimate.

  Post: A Rule of Thumb Is Not a Plan

  Link to comment from February 26, 2026

• r.e,; According to an early slide in his presentation, and his (very) personal experience, ground ambulances can run upwards of $5,000 -My 5 year anniversary of taking an ambulance ride is in 3 days —> it cost just a wee bit less than above, ie $ 600 !

  Post: Ambulatory Ambivalence

  Link to comment from February 22, 2026

• Thank you for the clarification. I agree - I like her work as well. How do you and others feel about them prognosticating what the markets are going to do, to come up with their safe withdrawal member ? Especially since the swr / number they put forth is supposed to be for people‘s 30 year retirement. I find this quite problematic.

  Post: RMDs, account withdrawals, 4% simplified- MAYBE?

  Link to comment from January 13, 2026

• Your last paragraph is correct, and makes me wonder why Christine Benz and colleagues come out with a new SWR each year ? Is this only for the newly retired ? Or all retired, which would be wrong, as you described. Also, I just listened to Christine on a podcast. She stated that their annual SWR is based on their FUTURE projections about the market. That seems rather disappointing as no one can predict what will happen in the market , e.g. The stock market has predicted 9 of the last 5 recessions - Nobel Prize winning economist Paul Samuelson. By contrast, Bill Bengen’s SWR is based on the historical record, such as it is.

  Post: RMDs, account withdrawals, 4% simplified- MAYBE?

  Link to comment from January 13, 2026

• An up or down vote provides nothing without explanation or context. What makes you think that the “voters” are right? It’s quite easy for someone, regardless of their breadth of knowledge of the issue at hand, to chime in and press an arrow…..that doesn’t make them right. a) “Garbage in ——> Garbage out”. b) no, the majority is NOT always right b) The Dunning Kruger effect. Not saying he is always right, but if RDQ goes off on a rant about health care costs or SS, do you think someone who gives him a down arrow without explanation is likely more knowledgeable than he is? Do you think more down than up arrows makes what he said wrong ? More likely than not, he is right and the arrow pushers just don’t like his conclusion !

  Post: The “Mean Girls”/Junior High Bullies at HumbleDollar

  Link to comment from January 13, 2026

• Wow, I log onto the site after a 3-4 day absence and find that Armageddon has broken out. 1) Dana, as another Dr. Lefty, I agree with you 100% 2) David Lancaster, thanks for referencing what I said about this topic in August 3) finally, anonymous arrows contribute nothing to the discourse, do nothing to help anyone learn about finance/investing, etc, and perpetuates trolling, bringing this site closer to the level of X/Twitter. Suggestions: a) if people are so in love with their arrows, then remove anonymity - any arrow should be associated the name of the “voter” and what direction they voted b) remove the arrows for two weeks and see how much they’re missed.

  Post: The “Mean Girls”/Junior High Bullies at HumbleDollar

  Link to comment from January 11, 2026

• I say the same thing by prefacing any medical advice I give by making it clear I have been retired for 5 years and things change constantly.

  Post: Social media and our financial security. Move along nothing to see here.

  Link to comment from December 29, 2025

• As a former MD, I still use epocrates and Medscape iphone apps, to check for drug interactions. You could download them and see if you can use them despite not having any MD credentials.

  Post: Affordable is an interesting word – especially related to healthcare

  Link to comment from December 18, 2025

• That’s because pharmacists are not allowed, by law, to tell you upfront that you can get your meds cheaper. They can only do so if you ask them first !

  Post: Affordable is an interesting word – especially related to healthcare

  Link to comment from December 18, 2025

• If they ask what I do, and I say I am retired, the next question is always, “what did you do” ? When I reply doctor, I am often told “you are still” or “you are always” a doctor” It makes me uncomfortable 🤷‍♂️. I’m in the camp of not feeling that I lost anything when I retired.

  Post: Happy Hour, or The Panic Button? Why Early Retirement Anxiety Is Real.

  Link to comment from December 1, 2025