Search

42 results for “retirement”.

Articles (30)

Roth vs. Traditional: Which Retirement Account Should You Choose?

Roth means tax-free later; Traditional means a tax break now. Here's the simple rule for choosing between a Roth and Traditional IRA or 401(k) — and why many people use both.

All ages

How to Use an HSA for Retirement (The Stealth IRA)

A Health Savings Account can be the most tax-efficient retirement account there is — triple tax-advantaged. Here's how to use an HSA as a stealth retirement fund.

60s+

When to Claim Social Security: Age 62 vs 67 vs 70

Claiming Social Security at 62, at full retirement age, or at 70 changes your monthly check for life. Here's how the trade-off works and how to decide.

60s+

Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) Explained

What RMDs are, the age they start, how they're calculated, which accounts they apply to, and the steep penalty for missing one — in plain English, with IRS sources.

All ages

Retirement Planning for Lawyers & Attorneys

Retirement planning for lawyers: how to handle a high income, a late start with student debt, and the firm structures — associate, partner, solo — that decide which plans (401(k), cash-balance, solo 401(k)) fit.

All ages

Free Retirement Calculators & Tools: FINRA, SSA, Portfolio & Savings-Goal

A guide to the best free retirement calculators and tools — savings-goal, portfolio analyzer, compound interest, plus the official SSA and FINRA tools — and when to use each.

50s

Crypto Estate Planning: Passing Bitcoin to Your Heirs

Crypto's biggest inheritance risk isn't taxes — it's lost access. This guide covers building a secure access plan, the trade-off between self-custody and custodial accounts, beneficiary designations, the step-up in basis, and how to make sure your heirs can actually recover what you leave them.

All ages

The Best Communities That Discuss Retirement

Some of the best retirement learning happens in communities of people going through the same decisions. Here are well-known forums and communities where retirement, investing, and financial independence are discussed — and how to use them wisely.

All ages

Crypto in a 401(k): Can You Hold Bitcoin at Work?

Most 401(k) plans don't offer crypto directly, but there are a few ways in — and some important warnings from regulators. This guide covers brokerage windows, direct Bitcoin options, the DOL's stance, why the employer match still comes first, and how an IRA can fill the gap.

50s

Best States to Retire: The Top 10, Ranked

Which states are best for retirement? We rank the top 10 US states for retirees — weighing taxes, cost of living, climate, and healthcare — with a clear reason for each. Florida, Tennessee, and Texas lead the list, but tax dark-horses like Pennsylvania earn a spot too.

50s

What Retirement Looks Like for a Teacher

Teachers retire differently from most workers: many rely on a state pension plus a 403(b), and a 2025 law change restored full Social Security for many educators. Here's how the pieces fit together.

50s

Is Social Security Raising the Retirement Age?

The Social Security 'full retirement age' has already risen from 65 to 67, and proposals to raise it further come up regularly. Here's what's actually changed, what's being proposed, and how to plan through the uncertainty.

30s

How to Get to Early Retirement

Early retirement isn't luck or a huge salary — it's mostly your savings rate. This explains the simple math of financial independence, the 4% rule, how long it takes at different savings rates, and how to bridge the gap before traditional retirement accounts open.

All ages

What a 'Vanguard Retirement' Means

People often say they want a 'Vanguard retirement.' What they usually mean is a low-cost, index-fund, do-it-simply approach. Here's the philosophy behind it, how target-date funds work, and why fees quietly make or break a retirement.

All ages

At What Age Can You Retire? Every Milestone, Explained

At what age can you retire? Legally there's no minimum — you can retire whenever you can afford it. But a series of specific ages unlock penalty-free access to your money and your benefits: 55, 59½, 62, 65, 67, 70, and 73. Here's each one explained, with the numbers and a claiming-age chart.

All ages

How Much Do You Need to Retire? By Household, With Real Numbers

How much do you need to retire? It depends on your life. A single renter, a mortgage-free homeowner, a couple, and a family need very different amounts. Here's the simple formula, the bare-minimum floor, and specific nest-egg targets for each household type.

All ages

2025 Retirement Contribution Limits: Every Account, Side by Side

The 2025 IRS contribution limits for every major retirement account — 401(k), 403(b), 457(b), IRA, SIMPLE, SEP, Solo 401(k) and the HSA — with catch-up amounts and the new SECURE 2.0 super catch-up, in one table.

All ages

How Inflation Impacts Retirement (And How Much More You'll Need)

Inflation quietly raises the cost of the same retirement lifestyle every year. See how much more you'll need in the decades ahead versus the past — and how to protect your savings.

All ages

Social Security Retirement, Explained

Social Security is the backbone of most U.S. retirements. This explains how your benefit is calculated, how claiming age changes it, spousal and survivor benefits, and how to check your own numbers.

70s+

Retirement Planning in Your 70s and Beyond

In your 70s the focus shifts to required minimum distributions, healthcare costs, and passing on what's left efficiently and on your terms.

All ages

Retirement Planning: Where to Begin

If retirement planning feels overwhelming, the fix is an order of operations. This is a clear, step-by-step starting path that works whether you're 25 or 55, plus the benchmarks to measure progress.

All ages

What Is Retirement? A Complete, Plain-English Guide

Retirement is the stage of life when you stop working for income and live on money you've built up — from Social Security, employer plans, and personal savings. A complete, plain-English guide to what retirement is, where the money comes from, how much you need, and when you can retire.

50s

The Best Places to Retire in the US: Cities and Towns

The best place to retire in the US depends on your budget, climate, and lifestyle, but a handful of cities and towns keep topping the lists. Here's a detailed guide to what makes a place great for retirement, the most tax-friendly states, and standout cities and towns for warmth, the outdoors, healthcare, and low cost.

All ages

How Much Should You Have Saved for Retirement by Age?

Age-based retirement savings benchmarks as multiples of your salary: 1x by 30, 3x by 40, 6x by 50, and 10x by age 67 — with a chart, a dollar table, what they assume, and how to catch up if you're behind.

60s

What Is the Best Retirement Age?

There's no single best retirement age, but there are clear, measurable trade-offs at each common age. This breaks down what changes for your Social Security, Medicare, savings, and taxes at 62, 65, 67, and 70.

All ages

How to Retire Early: The Step-by-Step FIRE Playbook

Retiring early is possible, but it runs on math, not luck: reach financial independence by saving a large share of your income and investing the rest, until your portfolio covers your spending. Here's the step-by-step FIRE playbook — the number, the savings rate, and how to access your money before 59½.

All ages

When Can I Retire? The Exact Ages, Rules, and Amounts

‘When can I retire?’ has two answers: when the rules let you, and when you can afford to. Here are the specific ages and laws — the Rule of 55, 59½ withdrawals, Social Security from 62 to 70, Medicare at 65, and RMDs at 73 — plus the dollar-amount test for whether you can actually afford it.

All ages

Which Retirement Plan Do You Get? A Guide by Occupation

Your job decides your retirement toolkit. A plain-English map of which plans each type of worker gets — private-sector 401(k), teacher pensions plus 403(b)/457(b), federal FERS and the TSP, nonprofit 403(b), and self-employed SEP or Solo 401(k).

40s

Retirement Planning in Your 40s

Your 40s are the highest-leverage decade to secure retirement: check where you stand, max the right accounts, and balance college, debt, and saving. A practical, step-by-step plan.