I know you understand actuarial science, since you are an actuary. But really, since there is actually nothing in Firecalc that says anything about portfolio survival other than in a certain historical period this specified portfolio (composition and size) would have survived or not.
I personally think there are better ways to check portfolio survivability, and to plan retirement portfolio spending. Still, Firecalc runs are held in very high esteem on this board.
To me naively, it seems that if one could double or triple a withdrawal rate for some period, would it not be better to make a conservative estimate of what might be left in the portfolio after this withdrawal, and then make new runs based on these hypothetical parameters?
Personally, unless SS and pensions would be enough to sustain a desirable retirement if the portfolio were at the end of this period de minimus, I woijld consider it a gamble beyond my taste in gambling.
Ha