Once you start cashing out traditional IRAs and 401(k)s, the government takes a bite (withdrawals are taxed as ordinary income).
The conventional wisdom is to draw from taxable investments first and let retirement-plan money grow tax-deferred. Save Roth IRAs for last since you never have to take withdrawals.
That's a guideline, not a hard and fast rule. Sometimes it pays to play with the order, says Bill Meyer of advisory firm Retiree Inc.
If, say, 401(k) withdrawals push you into a higher tax bracket, take out just enough to stay in a lower bracket and pull the rest from your Roth.
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