You’ve been saving for decades and now it’s time to spend. Too bad your retirement savings aren’t housed in a handy cash dispenser. Wouldn’t it be great to pop in your debit card and take as much as you need? Just kidding, of course, getting income and doing it right takes a bit of work. Here’s why:

• Not all investments are set up to pay income.
• Investments should be cashed out in a certain order to preserve tax benefits.
• Proceeds from a liquidated investment shouldn’t necessarily be held in a bank savings account.
• Take too much today, and you might not have enough for tomorrow.

We have a whole section on arranging income. C’mon. I’ll show you.