Fragasso says withdrawal strategy can make or break retirement income

Fragasso Financial Advisors has published an educational article arguing that retirement planning should shift from saving to spending with the same level of discipline. The piece says withdrawal order, taxes, market volatility and healthcare costs can all shape how long retirement assets last and how much income retirees keep.

Why it matters: - Retirement success depends on more than how much savers accumulate. - The order retirees tap different accounts can affect taxes, required minimum distributions, Medicare premiums and how long savings last. - A withdrawal plan can help retirees create more sustainable income through changing market and spending conditions.

What happened: - Fragasso Financial Advisors published a new article titled Your Retirement Withdrawal Strategy: Creating Tax-Efficient Income Through Every Stage of Retirement. - The article focuses on the shift from saving for retirement to drawing income from retirement assets. - Fragasso also pointed readers to its Wealth Assessment Quiz as a way to evaluate overall financial readiness.

The details: - The article says retirement income can come from Social Security, taxable investment accounts, tax-deferred retirement accounts, Roth accounts, pensions and other assets. - The piece argues that retirement income planning should be treated as an ongoing strategy, not a one-time event. - It says retirees should regularly revisit withdrawal decisions as tax laws, market conditions and personal circumstances change. - The article highlights the need to balance current income needs with long-term portfolio sustainability. - It says early-retirement market volatility, inflation and rising healthcare costs can materially affect outcomes. - The article links strong retirement planning to coordination across tax planning, investment management and cash flow planning.

Between the lines: - The message is that many retirees focus too heavily on accumulation and not enough on distribution. - That matters because small changes in withdrawal timing or account order can have outsized tax and longevity effects. - The article also reflects a broader planning trend: retirement income is increasingly treated as a multi-stage process rather than a single decision.

What's next: - Fragasso says it will continue publishing educational content on retirement income planning, tax-efficient investing, wealth management, estate planning and business succession. - Investors seeking a broader planning checkup can use the firm’s online assessment before or during retirement. - The company says the goal is to help clients make more informed financial decisions as retirement needs evolve.

The bottom line: - Fragasso’s core point is simple: saving for retirement is only half the job, and the withdrawal plan may determine how much of those savings retirees actually keep.