Making a plan: How to withdraw money from a retirement account

Canadians juggling RRSPs, DC pensions, TFSAs and workplace plans often jump straight to the tactical question of which account to tap first, but this piece argues that's the wrong starting point. Before deciding when to retire or where withdrawals should come from, it makes the case for stepping back to design the life you actually want, because without that picture, even good technical advice can miss the mark. From there the sequencing logic falls into place more sensibly: since some accounts are taxed the same way, withdrawal limits and longevity matter more than chasing the lowest tax bill, and events like the death of a spouse can reshape income and need to be modelled in advance. It's a grounding read for anyone approaching retirement who feels they're being handed answers before anyone has asked what they're for.