retirement planning
Educational articles in this subcategory.
Glossary of Retirement Planning Terms
Understanding retirement planning requires familiarity with specialized terms. This glossary provides clear definitions for the most commonly used con...
Retirement Income Case Studies
Abstract retirement planning advice becomes clearer through specific examples. These three case studies show how retirees at different savings levels ...
Monitoring Spending vs. Plan Each Year
A retirement plan is not a one-time calculation. Your spending, investment returns, and life circumstances change year to year. An annual review helps...
Estate Considerations for Retirees
Estate planning in retirement requires attention to retirement account rules, beneficiary designations, and tax-efficient transfer strategies. The SEC...
Bridging to Medicare Before Age 65
Retiring before age 65 creates a health insurance gap. Medicare eligibility begins at 65, but many people retire at 62, 60, or even earlier. During th...
Working Part-Time and Social Security Earnings Tests
Many people continue working part-time after claiming Social Security benefits. If you're below your full retirement age (FRA), earnings above certain...
Tax-Efficient Withdrawal Ordering in Retirement
The order in which you withdraw money from different account types can significantly affect your lifetime tax burden. With proper sequencing, you can ...
Healthcare Cost Estimation in Retirement
Healthcare is one of the largest and most unpredictable expenses in retirement. Understanding Medicare costs, supplemental insurance options, and pote...
Downsizing and Housing Decisions in Retirement
Housing is typically the largest expense in retirement. Deciding whether to stay in your current home, downsize to a smaller property, or switch to re...
Longevity Insurance and QLACs
One of the biggest financial risks in retirement is outliving your savings. A Qualified Longevity Annuity Contract (QLAC) addresses this concern by pr...
Annuities Explained: SPIA, DIA, and RILA
Annuities are insurance contracts that convert a lump sum into guaranteed income payments. Different types serve different purposes in retirement plan...
Required Minimum Distribution Planning
Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) force you to withdraw money from traditional retirement accounts starting at a certain age. Understanding the ru...
Coordinating Employer Plans and IRAs
Most workers accumulate multiple retirement accounts over their careers. Each job change often means a new 401(k) or 403(b), and many people also cont...
Roth Conversion Timing in Retirement
A Roth conversion moves money from a traditional IRA or 401(k) to a Roth IRA. You pay income tax on the converted amount now, but future growth and wi...
Bucket Strategies for Retirement Income
A bucket strategy divides your retirement portfolio into separate segments based on when you'll need the money. This approach helps you avoid selling ...
Safe Withdrawal Rate Frameworks
How much can you safely withdraw from your retirement portfolio each year without running out of money? This question has generated extensive research...
Sequence of Returns Risk Explained
When you're saving for retirement, the order of your investment returns doesn't matter—only the average matters. A portfolio that gains 10%, loses 5%,...
Medicare Enrollment Windows and Penalties
Medicare enrollment has specific windows and rules that can significantly impact your costs for years—even permanently. Missing enrollment deadlines o...
Social Security Claiming Strategies
Social Security represents the largest source of retirement income for most Americans. When you choose to claim benefits significantly impacts how muc...
Calculating Retirement Income Needs
Before you can build a retirement savings strategy, you need to answer a fundamental question: how much annual income will you actually need once you ...