Retirees sometimes tap savings for one-off expenses. Here’s what advisors say to consider first

The article considers how retirees can pay for a one-off expense from savings, highlighting the longer-term cost of taking money out of investments. A withdrawal reduces the balance immediately and also removes money that could otherwise have grown over time.

For example, $50,000 earning 5% a year would grow to about $81,400 over 10 years. If $10,000 were withdrawn at the start and the remaining $40,000 earned the same return, it would grow to about $65,200, a difference of roughly $16,300. The figures use the SEC’s Investor.gov compound-interest calculator.