Social Security
Social Security COLA 2027 Is 3.6%: What It Means for Your Check
Social Security’s 2027 COLA is 3.6%, adding about $75 to the average retiree’s check in January. See the new earnings limits, SSI, and Medicare numbers.
Financial Planning Blog & Retirement Resources
Social Security
Social Security and Working: 2026 and 2027 Earnings Limits
You can work and collect Social Security. See the 2026 and 2027 earnings limits, how withheld benefits come back, and the payroll tax you still pay.
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Budgeting & Spending
Retirement Budget: How to Estimate Your Retirement Expenses
Build a retirement budget from what you spend today. See how to estimate retirement expenses by category and phase, using the latest BLS spending data.
Retirement Jobs
How to Make Money in Retirement: 14 Side Hustles That Pay
Fourteen ways to make money in retirement, with typical pay for each, plus how extra income affects Social Security, taxes, and Medicare premiums.
Retirement Planning
2026 Global Retirement Index: Norway Leads, U.S. Falls to 24th
Norway tops the 2026 Natixis Global Retirement Index again. The U.S. slips to 24th of 44. See all 44 countries and what drove the drop.
Social Security
Is Social Security Taxable? Federal Rules, State Taxes, and Earnings Limits
Up to 85% of your Social Security can face federal income tax, and 8 states tax it too. See the thresholds, the new senior deduction, and 2027 earnings limits.
Your Career
One More Year Syndrome: What Working Another Year Buys You
Working one more year can add savings, raise your Social Security check, and shorten the years your portfolio has to cover. Here’s how to weigh it.
Retirement Planning
How to Plan for Retirement: An 8-Step Guide
How to plan for retirement in eight steps, from counting your savings to testing and reviewing your plan. See where you stand.
Retirement Income
Average Retirement Income in 2026: By Age, State, and Source
Households headed by someone 65 or older had a median income of $59,680 in 2025, about $4,973 a month. See it by age, state, and source.
Retirement Planning
Retire With Confidence: What Retirement Surveys Show
People with a financial plan are more than twice as likely to feel confident. See what 2026 retirement surveys show and the planning steps people skip.
Retirement Planning
13 Retirement Mistakes to Avoid: How to Fix Each One
Claiming Social Security at 62 cuts your benefit by 30% for life. See the 13 most common retirement mistakes to avoid and how to fix each one.
Retirement Planning
Average Net Worth by Age: Median, Top 10% and Top 5%
The median U.S. household net worth is $215,900, and the average is $1.24 million. See net worth by age, from the 25th percentile to the top 5%.
Financial Wellness
What Is Considered Wealthy? How Wealth Is Defined in the U.S.
The median U.S. household net worth is $215,900, but Americans say it takes $2.3 million to feel wealthy. Here’s how wealth is defined, by the numbers.
Housing and Home Equity
How to Use Home Equity in Retirement: 6 Ways to Tap It
Homeowners 62+ hold a record $15.34 trillion in home equity. See 6 ways to use home equity in retirement, what each costs, and when it makes sense.
Retirement Savings and Investments
Top 10% Wealthiest Retirees Have $3.9M: Net Worth by Age
The top 10% wealthiest retirees have about $3.9M in net worth, per Boldin’s analysis of 2025 Fed data. See the top 5% and 1% by age, and where you stand.
Financial Wellness
What Is Middle Class Income? Range and Definition
Middle class income runs about $58,000 to $175,000 in the U.S. See what salary counts as middle class where you live, and what income misses.
Estate Planning
Average Inheritance in the U.S. Is About $125,000. Most Get Less.
The average U.S. inheritance is about $125,000, and the median among heirs is $124,000. See figures from parents, trusts, wealth tiers, and estate tax limits.
Retirement Savings and Investments
Baby Boomer Wealth: How Boomers Got So Rich
Boomers hold about half of U.S. household wealth. See how baby boomers got so rich, who got left behind, and whether $444,000 is enough to retire on.
Retirement Savings and Investments
Average Retirement Savings by Age: Couples, Top 10%
Families 55 to 64 with retirement accounts have a median of $239,000 saved. See retirement savings by age for couples, the top 10% and every generation.
Retirement Planning
How to Transition to Retirement: A 5-Year Timeline
A transition to retirement works best over about five years. Here’s what to decide when, from your budget and Social Security to Medicare and rollovers.
Financial Wellness
10 Personal Finance Trends in 2026 (and Which Ones Work)
Moneymaxxing, No Buy 2026, and soft saving lead this year’s personal finance trends. See what each one involves and which ones help your plan.
Retirement Planning
On Track for Retirement? Only 58% of Savers Say Yes in 2026
Just 58% of savers say they’re on track for retirement, down from 68% a year ago. See where high and low earners are slipping and how to check your plan.
Happy Retirement
Retirement Gift Ideas: Thoughtful, Funny, and Personal Picks
Retirement gift ideas for coworkers, parents, and friends: thoughtful, funny, and useful picks, plus how to build a retirement survival kit.
Podcast
Podcast 114: Retirement Planning's Hidden Tradeoffs, with Jesse Cramer
Fee-only planner Jesse Cramer joins Boldin’s podcast to explore Coast FIRE and how stacked cautious assumptions can keep you working longer.
Planning
PlannerPlus Price Rises Oct. 15 for New Boldin Subscribers
On October 15, 2026, the PlannerPlus price rises to $168 a year for new subscribers. Subscribe before then to get the current $144 price.
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