Showing 50 results of 204
In spite of two divorces, two bankruptcies, and one short sale, I have been able to somehow amass about $500,000. I am going to retire at the end of this year at 66. I already started taking SS, and h...
401(k) withdrawal rules determine when you can access your money and what it will cost you. While you can typically withdraw penalty-free after age 59½, earlier withdrawals may trigger taxes and penal...
My IRA balance is constantly variable. It’s not the same today as it was last week, last month, last year. I see rules like the 4% rule and other calculations based on account balance used as a guide ...
I 60F wish to retire sometime this year. I have the financial ability but have some complex moving parts. Under consideration is using some Roth money to keep my MAGI low enough to get an ACA premium ...
The first quarter of 2026 brought a whirlwind of market events—geopolitical shocks, surging energy prices, and a notable shift away from mega-cap US growth stocks. Despite the turbulence, the markets ...
Most people think deciding when to take Social Security is a math problem. Run the numbers. Find the breakeven age. Pick 62, 67, or 70. Done. But that approach misses the point. This is not a math dec...
401(k) mistakes aren’t just about saving too little – they’re also about poor planning. Common issues like tax-heavy accounts, lack of diversification, and early withdrawals can reduce your retirement...
Here’s how your 401(k), IRA and Social Security can help you pay for storm-related costs.
An early retirement account withdrawal often triggers taxes and penalties.
We asked 15 questions to determine how those who have retired got there. So far, about 125 people have responded. Here's what they said. The post ‘I Got Poor Advice from an Accountant . . . That’s a B...
I (62yr) retired and still trying to find myself and my daily routine. When I retired, my gut told me not to really tell everyone, just immediate family that I retired. Of course, I did let out the ne...
"Chase and Ryder" are 56 and 55 with $5 million saved and huge pensions the day they retire. So why are they so nervous about pulling the trigger? That's today on Your Money, Your Wealth® podcast numb...
I have stock in a brokerage account and say it pays a 5k dividend that stays in the account as cash, not reinvested. At the end of the year I know I will get a 1099 DIV and it will count as 5k income ...
More Americans are taking hardship withdrawals from workplace retirement accounts, prompted by rising costs — and looser rules.
The Social Security decision should reflect how clients want to spend, withdraw from wealth and experience retirement. Here's how advisers can find that out.
Joe Anderson, CFP® and Big Al Clopine, CPA spitball on whether a popular early retirement strategy could actually blow up your financial plan, today on Your Money, Your Wealth® podcast number 577. Red...
We’ve all read the research about the “Go-go, slow-go and no-go” periods of retirement and decreased real-dollar spending as we age, but contrary to observed research, most decumulation strategies tod...
Retiring in 8 months @ 60. I think I can provide us the gains a 60/40 gives but make it feel like a 3 bucket safety net - sort of a hybrid of the two: - 2-3 years in cash equivalent (money market/CD l...
When you die, your 401(k) only passes to the named beneficiary. Spouses can roll the account into their own IRA, but most non-spouse beneficiaries must withdraw the funds within 10 years, which can tr...
Author Ethan Lohr shares how the four buckets retirement income strategy helps retirees behavior-proof their retirement. Many retirees face one similar problem that they struggle to name: the emotiona...
I’ve been trying to wrap my head around how the recent legislation could affect retirement income, especially when it comes to taxes, Medicare premiums, and withdrawals. A few things I keep coming bac...
Choosing the best way to withdraw retirement funds depends on which paycheck system aligns with your lifestyle, tax plan and shifts in spending as you age.
A conversation with Bill Bengen—the creator of the 4% rule—to discuss how retirement strategies have evolved, what high-income professionals should be thinking about now, and his current recommendatio...
The Rule of 55 allows certain workers to take penalty-free withdrawals from a 401(k) or 403(b) if they leave their job in or after the year they turn 55. Income taxes still apply, and the funds must r...
The Actuarial Approach: Employs an easy-to-understand and robust financial metric (Household Funded Status) Permits adoption of easy-to-implement guardrails that suggest future spending changes Uses b...
Roger Whitney dives into practical strategies for navigating health care before Medicare, sharing insights from retirees, survey results, and listener questions. Together they explore real-world solut...
Jeremy Keil explains 3 smart ways to help your kids with money while avoiding IRS paperwork Early in the year, I received an email from a couple asking a question I hear all the time: “What’s the maxi...
The safe withdrawal rate says you can spend about 4% of your portfolio in retirement and not run out of money. But is that actually accurate? The post Should You Use a ‘Safe’ Withdrawal Rate? appeared...
Clinging to 'safe' income and hoarding your principal isn't protecting your wealth; it's shortchanging the retirement you earned.
If you plan to punch the clock for the final time decades before "standard" retirement age, you need a financial strategy that goes beyond just saving. Joe Anderson, CFP® and Big Al Clopine, CPA spitb...
A 401(k) can offer powerful tax advantages, but understanding how contributions, growth, and withdrawals are taxed is essential. Traditional 401(k)s lower your taxable income today, while Roth 401(k)s...
Retiring at 55 is not just retiring ten years earlier. It changes the entire math of your life. From 55 to 65, expenses are often at their highest. You are covering healthcare before Medicare, traveli...
I retired June 1, 2024. My wife is still working, her planned last day is June 30, this year. Here's a few things I've noticed.... I'm maintaining our 'retirement fund' portfolio at Vanguard in the 60...
Your spouse wants to remodel your kitchen and several bathrooms in your house. You’ve received a quote for the work for about $100,000. Using a strategic withdrawal approach and a Monte Carlo modeling...
This post is a follow-up to our post of August 23, 2025 where we encouraged financial advisors and DIYers to ditch Monte Carlo modeling and its probability of success metric and adopt the Actuarial Ap...
Roger Whitney wraps up the four-part series on navigating health care before Medicare by introducing a practical decision-making framework using the OODA Loop—observe, orient, decide, act—to help you ...
Jeremy Keil explains the 5 RMD (Required Minimum Distribution) mistakes in Retirement and how to avoid them. A retiree recently called for help. It was their first year taking Required Minimum Distrib...
The final five years before retirement are not maintenance mode. They are leverage years. Small decisions made here can outweigh the previous twenty years of saving and investing. In this episode, Jam...
All that cash you have in tax-deferred accounts could launch you into a higher tax bracket when you start withdrawals. It's time to protect your income.
I'm in career for over 42 years that I don't like anymore and does cause a lot of stress. (my current job does pay very well and feels like golden handcuffs) Retiring at 65 will get me 3100 a month pl...
A $10 million retirement is often imagined as the finish line — complete freedom, unlimited spending, and no financial stress. The reality is more complex. James walks through what an eight-figure ret...
Retiring after age 65 changes the math and the priorities. You have fewer high-energy years, shorter tax planning windows, and RMDs much closer than most people realize. But you also often have higher...
Christian thought he was ready for retirement. He just didn’t realize how heavy the weight had been until he finally set it down. After more than 30 years in a high-stress, always-on role at a global ...
Recent data from Vanguard and Fidelity shows 401(k) hardship withdrawals at record highs as everyday costs rise and savings run thin. Understanding the long-term impact of pulling from your retirement...
We asked professional wealth advisers to weigh in.
I have been retired 1 year. I made about 50k managing my fidelity IRA and overall made around 10%. My plan was to take 4% a year or 20k so that tracks. I keep 6 months of bills in savings currently an...
Jeremy Keil explains the 5 steps you can take if you are planning to retire in 2026 or 2027. If you’ve been planning to retire in 2026 or 2027, it might feel like you still have plenty of time. But in...
A few weeks ago, Michael Green published a post where he argued that the poverty line for a family of four in the U.S. wasn't $32,100 in annual income (as currently claimed by the Department of Health...
Jeremy Keil explains the top 3 tax efficient strategies for charitable giving in 2025. Most people give to charity because it’s meaningful to them — not because of the tax break. And that’s the right ...
Jeremy Keil explores 7 money moves you can consider before the new year to lower your taxes and keep more of your money in retirement. Every December, people scramble to finish holiday shopping, trave...