Now It's Finally Time to Start Spending My Retirement Nest Egg Not so fast! People work long and hard for years on their retirement plans. Paying smart attention to the plans doesn't stop when it's time to enjoy the fruits of the labor and sacrifice. When it comes time for you to begin using your funds, you'll need to make sure you follow some rules in order to avoid unnecessary expenses. Some questions follow that will help you remember wise ways to manage your money as well as avoid pitfalls that could cost you. Keeping in mind that the primary purpose of tax-sheltered plans is to provide for your retirement, there are regulations in place to discourage early withdrawals, which presumably are intended for uses other than funding your retirement. That discouragement comes in the form of paying penalties and some taxes for which you would not otherwise be liable. However, there are some withdrawals allowed that wouldn't require you to pay penalties, as long as certain qualifications are satisfied. What are some of these penalty-free withdrawals? Check all that apply. O Early retirement O Vacation O Wedding O Account loan O College expenses O Pay down debt O O O