Bartolomiej Pietrzyk / Shutterstock.com Key Points in This Article: A common guideline for 55-year-olds suggests allocating 55% to stocks and 45% to bonds. The 4% withdrawal rule assumes a portfolio can sustain 4% annual withdrawals for 30 years. Target-date funds automatically adjust allocations and become more conservative as retirement nears. If you’re thinking about retiring or know someone who is, there are three quick questions causing many Americans to realize they can retire earlier than e ...