Should You Drain Brokerage Accounts First in Retirement?

A more balanced withdrawal strategy could help smooth taxes and boost after-tax retirement income.

Taking withdrawals proportionally from multiple account types can help reduce tax shocks in retirement. MK Lasek/Shutterstock

You may have heard that in retirement, you should draw down your brokerage account first to meet immediate needs, while giving your tax-advantaged accounts more time to potentially grow.

This traditional approach suggests you drain your taxable brokerage account first, followed by a tax-deferred account like a 401(k), and finally a tax-free account like a Roth IRA.