A key goal when you retire is to generate a steady level of spending and not run out of money too soon. For many, the retirement spending strategy involves a combination of social security, taxable accounts (T), tax-deferred accounts (TD) like 401(k)s or IRAs, and tax-exempt accounts (TE) like Roth accounts. Because of the different taxability across accounts, how you withdraw from them can make an important difference to the level and longevity of your retirement spending. Research shows large differences in ending account balances or expected number of sustainable years across different strategies.

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