Piercing the corporate veil

[Dan Miller]

If I have an LLC in which I conduct my business, how do I actually take profits out of that LLC for personal use (i.e. pay myself) w/o piercing the corporate veil and losing my liability protection?

Are there general rules around keeping personal and business activities separate that I want to be sure I don't violate? My main question, though, is how, as a newbie investor with a deal here and there, I actually personally receive the profits from my LLC while still maintaining the asset protection of the LLC.

Thanks!

Dan