Showing 50 results of 189
How is your Social Security benefit actually calculated? In this episode, Roger explains how you qualify for retirement benefits, how your earnings history determines your benefit, and why the age you...
An HSA for retirement may help cover future healthcare costs while providing 3 tax advantages: pre-tax contributions, tax-free growth, and tax-free withdrawals for qualified medical expenses. Common H...
At the end of the year, I am retiring at 60 (wife retired last year). We have a 5 year pension that starts in January and essentially replaces my income. We have always lived below our means and will ...
The era of "raise them until 18 then they're on their own" is long gone. Childhoods are lengthening and so is the scope of parents' financial involvement. Where parents of the past might have seen the...
A while back, I came across a thread on Reddit that asked this question: what expenses do you regret avoiding to reach FIRE? The post Do People Who FIRE Regret Not Spending Money on Things They Could ...
Two people, same age, same savings, same expenses. One files for Social Security at 62. The other waits until 70. Everyone knows the one who waits gets a bigger check. Almost nobody looks at what's ha...
For the better part of this year I've been trying to assess when I'll be able to afford to retire. I've been playing with Boldin, Projection Lab, my own overly complicated spreadsheets, Fidelity's pla...
In April 2026, I gave up my private sports club membership. The stock market was correcting again due to the war in Iran, oil and inflation had shot up, and I figured it was time to cut expenses and s...
Assumptions regarding how long you and your spouse, if you have one, plan to survive in retirement are central to determining your funded status. These assumptions — your lifetime planning period assu...
It's time to enjoy the wealth you've built without worrying about inflation and surprise expenses wiping out your savings. Here's how.
Present value is the organizing principle of the Actuarial Approach recommended on this website. Retirement sustainability ultimately depends on a single question: Can the present value of your assets...
The 401(k) can be a great savings vehicle, or a financial black hole where investors lose huge chunks of their hard-earned money to hidden fees and missed opportunities for investment growth. The diff...
Could doing everything "right" with your retirement savings actually be limiting your financial freedom? As part of our "By the Numbers" series, in this episode, you'll learn: Why "max out your 401(k)...
As I get closer to retirement, I'm trying to figure out the best way to budget for major home expenses. Things like a roof, A/C unit, water heater, or appliance replacement may not happen for years, b...
We spend most of our life saving and investing to accumulate as much wealth as possible before retirement, but there's not nearly as much thought and research given to how you take that money out once...
Prepaying everyday bills is the easiest way for retirees to lock in savings without cutting back. Here are five recurring expenses to pay upfront.
You might think locking in a rate saves you money, but financial flexibility is the real secret to keeping cash in your pocket for these bills.
Sustainable retirement spending begins with quantifying the present value of your essential expenses and then allocating the remaining funded status toward discretionary “menu items” such as travel, h...
The secret to helping ensure a secure retirement is to create a coordinated strategy for how you'll manage your withdrawals, taxes and healthcare expenses.
Fall spending often increases because back-to-school costs, seasonal expenses, holiday travel, and gift shopping happen within a few months of each other. Preparing for those expenses now may help you...
Hi everyone, My wife and i are hoping to retire in about 7 - 10 years, ultimately my question is have I forgotten anything important in my calculations. My wife will retire with a full pension and i w...
Not sure which sub to post this on. A little financial planning, a little healthcare but retirees probably are most familiar with this situation. Retired couple 61/60. Cobra about to run out. Looking ...
Create a budget to see what expenses you can cover in retirement while still enjoying perks.
People retiring this year can expect medical expenses to take a significantly bigger bite of their savings, according to a new report from Fidelity Investments.
Planning for retirement can feel overwhelming, especially as you approach the transition from earning a paycheck to relying on your savings. The early phase of retirement brings unique challenges, and...
Significant expenses, such as payroll taxes, often disappear the day you retire, so you probably won't need to replace as much of your salary as you thought.
Many users have told me they aren’t always sure how to enter their assets and spending liabilities into the Actuarial Financial Planner (AFP) Excel workbooks. That’s completely understandable — the ac...
Healthcare is one of the biggest expenses retirees face, yet few people understand how the system behind their care actually works. Jeremy Keil welcomes physician, hospice doctor, and author Dr. Jorda...
Relocating to a tax-free state like Florida or Texas seems like a good idea, but unexpected expenses add up fast. Here is how to ensure your retirement move doesn't break the bank.
At face-value, HSAs are for short-term medical expenses, but advisors suggest paying out of pocket to maximize HSA funds for investing and tax-free growth.
At face-value, HSAs are for short-term medical expenses, but advisors suggest paying out of pocket to maximize HSA funds for investing and tax-free growth.
Retirement researchers increasingly recognize that real spending does not remain flat throughout retirement. As Dr. David Blanchett emphasized in his recent Think Advisor article: “Integrating reduced...
FIRE is ultimately about being set for life. You build a portfolio big enough to cover your expenses, and then your one job is to not blow it up. But here's the tension worth talking more about. The m...
What tools or methods do you use to keep track of your monthly spending? I prefer organizing my expenses into categories so they align with my overall budget totals each month, which helps me stay on ...
Households often have assets they expect to use during retirement that are not level streams of income, as well as expenses that are not expected to recur every year. These items need special handling...
Wife and I are retired and trying to decide on SS timing. I'm 61, she's 64. Using open social security, it shows that the best strategy is her now (probably passed the window already) and me at 70. Th...
Rather than fixating on a savings goal, pre-retirees should focus on building an income strategy that accounts for actual expenses and can adapt to changes.
We have recently received inquiries as to how to use Copilot to implement the Actuarial Approach. Copilot can use different data sources to provide reasonable results, but we recommend that you provid...
I retired from full time work with a pension that pays most of my expenses, including healthcare. I also have some part time work. If I have extra money at the end of the year from this work, should I...
Do you pay your bills and other expenses using a credit card for the rewards and / mileage? Thinking about implementing this and wondering how many people do it and is it worth it. I know some people ...
Healthcare may be one of the largest expenses you’ll face in retirement. According to Fidelity, a 65-year-old retiring today may spend an average of $172,500 on healthcare costs throughout retirement,...
When it comes to retirement savings, Roth IRAs are among the most powerful tools for achieving tax diversification and financial flexibility. Knowing how and when to tap into your Roth IRA can make a ...
Roger Whitney explores the relationship between cost and value in retirement planning, focusing on how to better understand the fees associated with financial advice, investments, and insurance produc...
Back story: - 2015 Spouse retired at 65 and receives SS. - 2021 I retired at 64.6 and receive a monthly pension and SS. - Prior to retirement, we were able to save ~300K in cash. ~400K in 401. In 2014...
I have approximately $500,000 in a brokerage account which is comprised of stock that I have held for nearly 25 years. It’s up approximately tenfold from when I acquired it. I’m about to retire and ha...
I planned to retire 3/30/2027. Today, I was told I am going to be laid off. However because I've been a great performer for so many years, I can choose whether I get laid off October 2026 or Feb 2027....
Don't dip into your own retirement savings if your child's 529 plan won't cover all their college expenses. The plan can be more flexible than you might think.
Morningstar research suggests that while expenses drop in retirement, so, too, does income. Findings suggest some considerations for retirement planning.
Paying off your mortgage before retirement sounds responsible. Sometimes it is. Sometimes it quietly costs you the best years of your life. In this episode, James walks through the story of a client w...
Want to give your kids a home down payment? Want to help cover daycare expenses? Instead of writing them a check, transfer appreciated stock into their account.