Retire Early Home Page Discussion Board

[sroseme]

I retired 5 years ago at 56. I have an IRA of $1+million, in a couch potato (45% Vanguard total stock fund, 45% total bond, plus a few stock & mutual fund "plays (China, Ford etc) plus some annuities and misc outside investments. How how how do I decide what to sell when I want a distribution? The assets which have grown the most? Or are at all time highs? or as part of rebalancing? Or some other criteria??
Plus, I've found that lenders refuse to count my IRA income (discretionary distributions)in their underwriting-so that only my tiny earnings consulting for my former employer "count". Luckily, I don't need to borrow, but wonder how other retirees deal with this. It seems insane to me. A borrower is FAR more likely to lose her job than to piss away her IRA in wild living.