Investing March 17, 2026 0 Comments

Year 3 Shockwave: What Withdrawing from the ‘No Cat Food’ Portfolio Reveals About Your Retirement Future—Are You Ready for This?

Ever wondered what it really takes to stretch your retirement savings beyond the “just about enough” line? Well, buckle up — it’s year three of the ‘No Cat Food’ portfolio withdrawal experiment, where we live-test how a typical household with moderate means navigates the tricky art of decumulation. Picture this: a couple tapping into their ISAs and SIPPs, trying to guess how much they can safely withdraw without tipping the scales towards financial disaster. Sounds like walking a tightrope with a blindfold, right? That’s the kind of real-world stuff I love digging into, because retirement planning isn’t just numbers on a spreadsheet — it’s about fears, hopes, and a dash of gut instinct. So, how does our model duo fare this time around? Let’s find out together. LEARN MORE

For MAVENS and MOGULS by The Accumulator
on March 17, 2026

This is the third annual expenses withdrawal from the No Cat Food portfolio – our stab at simulating how a household of moderate means can fund their retirement from their ISAs and SIPPs.

So it’s finger-in-the-air time again for our model retirement couple, as they attempt to divine how much they can withdraw from their portfolio without:

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