Post-retirement investing: how much to put in and take out

THERE is a wealth of literature and products to help you save for retirement, but what happens when you are in retirement is something of a void.

How will you invest your assets for the years when income from work ceases? How much can you withdraw to ensure you don't outlive your savings? What happens if there is a major downturn just as retirement begins?

Large fund houses in the US such as JP Morgan Asset Management have begun to offer products that cater for the "decumulation'' phase - that is, when the portfolio still needs to be invested, but investors withdraw an income at the same time.