The 4% rule and most retirement calculators often just assume you are going to spend the same inflation-adjusted amount of money for the next 30 years. On the one hand, this is a simple and clean idea for managing finances, but it's also completely wrong. Real retirement spending rarely works like it's supposed to, and if you are planning on it being static, you're likely setting yourself up for a big surprise.
Advisers warn that retirees frequently spend too freely in their go-go years, when travel and leisure costs peak. The latest Consumer Expenditure Survey from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) found that average annual spending for adults ages 65 to 74 was $65,149, dropping nearly 20% by age 75. As a result, overspending early can strain savings meant to last decades, while excessive caution can lead to missing out on achievable goals.