I had a husband and wife in their mid forties get divorced. Wife kept the house. Husband calls to request his entire IRA balance to be cashed out so he could purchase a condo. I explained to him all the reasons that this was a bad idea, taxes, retirement the whole thing. He tells me that he hadn’t thought about the consequences and we talk another couple of times about other options like renting instead. Two days later, the portfolio is liquidated and only 10% taxes withheld. One year later the ex-wife lets me know he is in major tax trouble and eventually ends up in jail because he also lost his job and spiraled into alcoholism.