Here are several ways to make retirement withdrawals even more sustainable

The 4% rule has also come under fire as of late, as the concept was developed when bonds were yielding far more than they do today

This has led financial planning experts to question whether the 4% rule would hold up in today's low-interest, high-inflation, and low-expected-return

Consider a variables pending strategy: Instead of taking 4% from your savings in years when the market experiences a downturn

Skip the inflation adjustment: While this might seem unthinkable in a year when we've experienced decades-high inflation

Focus on guaranteed income: Retirement fixtures like pension plans, Social Security, and certain annuity types can act as incredibly effective

Nonetheless, retirees and pre-retirees alike will need to develop strategies to make their retirement savings last even longer than expected

The 4% rule was developed over a period of decades and accounted for numerous negative financial system shocks