Use up retirement account for REI or non-retirement account first?

[Kevin S.]

Hello BP members,

Have any of you been there and done that?  Left the market, completely or partially, and had to choose between using funds from either accounts? Which did you choose to dip in first and why?  Looking back would you do it differently/change the sequence of which account to draw from first?  I know the question doesn't involve tax bracket, age etc.  I want to hear your experience/journey.  Thanks for sharing.

[Basit Siddiqi]

Take a distribution from the retirement account over the years where it doesn't hit you up to the next or higher tax bracket.

I.E. if your income is $80,000 and the next higher bracket is at $100,000, you may want to take a distribution of $20,000 from the retirement account to help you fund your real estate purchases.