Retirement withdrawals from 403b accounts

[Florence]

We have been fortunate to build up retirement savings in our 403b accounts. I retired 2 years ago but because DH has continued to work, I have not made any withdrawals from my retirement accounts. DH will be retiring February 1, 2014 and we will need to supplement our Social Security from these accounts at that time. I have an appointment next week to talk with my Fidelity representative about the procedure for having a regular monthly withdrawal from retirement accounts.

If any of you have done this already, I would appreciate your thoughts, words of wisdom/warning, and experience.

[freein05]

I started making withdrawals from my 401K about 3 years ago. Morgan Stanly holds my 401K. All I did is request X amount of dollars transferred each month form my 401K to my checking account at my local bank. It takes about 2 days for the money to hit my checking account. I gave them the day to make the transfer and they do it on that day. It is done by electronic transfer. I have not had a problem in the 3 years they have been doing it. I am sure Fidelity can do it too.

Just like getting a pay check.

[Spartana]

I started making monthly withdrawls from my 457 plan (like a 401K for gevernment workers but no matching and you can begin withdrawls at any age once you leave your job). It was held in an annunity and I just had them direct deposit a fixed amount each month into my checking account. I didn't have income taxes taken out becuase I took just a small amount each month but, because the account was tax deferred, at the end of the year I would get a tax statement and add that amount to any other income I had to pay taxes on and paid them then.

[Florence]

I had wondered how to handle the taxes. I'll be finding more out next week.

I am glad to see that it is a relatively simple process. (I am still more or less reeling from trying to figure out Medicare...)