

And if you have excess losses, you can use up to $3,000 of those losses to offset your ordinary income. Consider selling investments that have lost value, as you can use capital losses to get a tax break on your capital gains. If you have modest tax-deferred savings and your RMDs aren't likely to push you into a higher tax bracket later in retirement, turn to your taxable brokerage accounts. If you still don't have enough to cover your expenses, you'll need to sell additional assets-but which ones may depend on your tax situation. If you don't need the money when your bond or CD matures, consider reinvesting the principal in another bond or CD as part of a laddering strategy to help generate regular income. Generally speaking, you won't owe taxes on the principal, as long as you hold the bond or CD until maturity. If you still need cash, you could tap the principal from a maturing bond or CD next. Cash out maturing bonds and certificates of deposit (CDs) Withdrawing just the interest and dividends means maintaining your original investment, which can then potentially grow, generating more dividends and interest in the future. Dividends, on the other hand, are often taxed at the lower long-term capital gains rates of 0%, 15%, or 20% (depending on your income level, how long you've held the asset, and other requirements). Interest is taxed as ordinary income (unless it's from a tax-free municipal bond or municipal-bond fund). Next, withdraw any interest and dividends generated by investments in your taxable accounts. Any potential gains could help offset some of the tax hit. So, if you don't need this money to cover your living expenses, consider investing it through a taxable brokerage account. Withdrawals from such accounts will be taxed as ordinary income, assuming all the contributions were made on a pre-tax basis. "Because of the penalty, RMDs should be your first stop when tapping your retirement portfolio," Hayden says. The RMD starting age will rise to 75 in 2033. Start with your RMDsĪnyone turning 73 between 20 will need to take required minimum distributions (RMDs) from their 401(k), individual retirement account (IRA), and other tax-deferred retirement accounts or face up to a 25% penalty on the difference between what was required and what they withdrew.

"And by liquidating them in the most tax-efficient way possible, you may be able to extend the life of your savings."įollowing this order can help: 1. "Not all investments are subject to the same tax treatment," explains Hayden Adams, CPA, CFP ®, and director of tax planning at the Schwab Center for Financial Research. What can you do to make it last? You may be surprised to learn that tapping your assets in the right order can make a big difference on that front.

Bond Funds, Bond ETFs, and Preferred Securities.ADRs, Foreign Ordinaries & Canadian Stocks.Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) ETFs.Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Mutual Funds.Benefits and Considerations of Mutual Funds.
