I do have one definite question, but I also wonder about your opinion on a related situation. We are fairly set on a course to move into a retirement community (Erickson's Highland Springs in Dallas). In our years of reading your articles, we don't recall you ever mentioning that you might consider any such change in lifestyle for yourself. Since we value your opinion, that causes us to wonder if we may be heading down an unwise path. But, let's say that you believe that retirement communities are just fine. Well, when we come to the time for our move in about four years, we think that we will need about $50,000 beyond what we clear from our home sale in order to pay the entrance fee. We could elect to leave the money with my Vanguard IRA until the time it is needed, but we know that withdrawing that amount in one lump would cause us to move to a higher tax bracket. Would we be better served by withdrawing about $12,000 or so each year, thereby staying within our current bracket? If we do that, does it make any difference if we do it monthly or in one withdrawal, and what about the time of the year; wait unitl as late as possible in the year or anytime that we choose? I am sixty-nine years old and retired, so there are no other issues affecting withdrawals.
Thanks,
J. Walker
