Taxes
What Is NIIT? The 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax Explained
The net investment income tax adds 3.8% to investment income once MAGI tops $200,000 or $250,000. See who pays it, how it’s figured, and how to cut it.
Financial Planning Blog & Retirement Resources
Retirement Planning
Monte Carlo Simulation for Retirement: How It Works and What Your Odds Mean
A Monte Carlo simulation tests your retirement plan across 1,000 simulated markets to estimate your odds. Here’s how it works and what your score means.
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Retirement Planning
Best Places to Retire in 2027 and How to Choose Yours
U.S. News ranks Midland, Mich., No. 1 for 2027. See where the major lists agree, where retirees are moving, and how to test a move in your plan.
Retirement Planning
Leaving Money on the Table When You Retire: 10 Places to Look
From your last paychecks to your first years retired, here are 10 places people leave money on the table, with 2026 and 2027 figures for each.
Taxes
Year-End Tax Planning: 12 Moves to Make Before Dec. 31
Year-end tax planning for 2026: Roth conversions, RMDs, charitable gifts, and the 0% capital gains rate retirees can still use before Dec. 31.
Estate Planning
Estate Planning Checklist for Retirees: 10 Documents
A step-by-step estate planning checklist: the documents you need, how beneficiary designations and probate work, and when to update your plan.
Retirement Savings and Investments
Asset Allocation by Age: The Right Mix at Every Stage
The best asset allocation strategy for you today? As you age? Is age the best way to determine investment strategy? Get answers.
Retirement Planning
Fear of Spending Money in Retirement and How to Overcome It
Retirees spend about half of what a safe withdrawal rate allows. See why the fear of spending money in retirement sets in and how to ease it.
Pensions
When Can You Collect Your Full Pension? Age, Rules, Payouts
You can collect your full pension at your plan’s normal retirement age, 65 or earlier in most plans. See early cuts, working rules, payouts, and taxes.
Pensions
Pension Lump Sum vs. Annuity Calculator: Which Is Better?
Use this free pension lump sum vs. annuity calculator to find your break-even age, the return a lump sum must earn, and your odds of living long enough.
Retirement Income
What Is Fixed Income? Meaning, Examples, and Retirement Risks
What is fixed income? It’s income paid on a set schedule, like Social Security or a pension, or bonds and other investments that pay set interest.
Medicare and Health Insurance
Medicare Open Enrollment 2026: 14 Tips for Choosing 2027 Coverage
Medicare Open Enrollment runs Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, 2026. See what changes for 2027, from the $2,400 Part D cap to Part B premiums, and 14 tips to compare plans.
Retirement Planning
Can You Retire at 62? How Much You Need and What to Plan For
You can retire at 62 if savings cover your spending until Social Security and three years of health coverage. Here’s how to check the math.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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