- How Does an IRA Loan Work?
If you’re like many people with an individual retirement account, the money in your IRA likely represents one of your largest assets. And if you find yourself in a tight financial spot, you may want to be able to borrow… read more…
- How to Retire in the Philippines: A Guide
If you want to spend your retirement in year-round warmth with the backdrop of rain forests and beaches, the Philippines may be your ideal option. The cost of living in the Philippines is significantly lower than in the U.S., and the government takes steps to make it especially welcoming to expats. But there are some… read more…
- What Is an Annuity Table?
Annuities can help you plan for your retirement by providing a guaranteed source of income for you and your family when you reach your golden years. They aren’t the simplest of investments, though, and sometimes it can be difficult to… read more…
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Benefits
The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program offered by the Social Security Administration helps older and disabled people who have a low income and limited resources. While it is oftentimes thought of in conjunction with Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), it is actually a wholly different program. It isn’t difficult to apply for SSI, but the… read more…
- All About Financial Independence / Retire Early (FIRE)
Financial Independence / Retire Early, aka FIRE, has come to connote the idea of saving and growing enough money so that you can stop working for a living at a younger age than your parents did. It involves saving aggressively… read more…
- What Is an Ordinary Annuity?
An annuity is a contract to guarantee a series of structured payments over time. It starts at a predetermined date and lasts for a predetermined time. There are two main forms of annuity: the ordinary annuity and the annuity due.… read more…
- How to Get Health Insurance When You Retire Early
Is the thought of losing your employer-sponsored health plan keeping you from retiring early? Don’t stress. There are plenty of ways you can kick off your golden years early while still having affordable health insurance to fall back on when… read more…
- How to Open and Use a My Social Security Account
With a mySocialSecurity account, you can manage your benefits online. For example, you can set up the direct deposit of your check or notify the Social Security Administration of your address change. But people who aren’t yet receiving benefits may… read more…
- 10 Retirement Strategies You Need to Know
Whether you’re in your 20s and just embarking on your career path or you’re a seasoned professional ready to step into the golden years, it helps to know the top retirement planning strategies. In this article, we’ll walk you through… read more…
- The Average Salary in San Francisco
Life is expensive in San Francisco. Arguably the current hub of innovation in America, some of the richest companies in the world call San Francisco home. These companies have brought high-paid engineers and wealthy executives to the area, driving up… read more…
- The Average Salary in New York City
If you’re seriously thinking about New York City as a place to live, you’ll want to be sure that you can do so within your means. A wide range of salaries exists in the Big Apple, so it’s important to… read more…
- A Guide to Health Insurance for Retirees
After all your hard work, you deserve to enjoy your retirement without worrying about whether or not your healthcare expenses will be taken care of. Despite rising healthcare costs, there are several ways you can ensure your coverage is strong… read more…
- How to Open a Roth IRA for Your Kid
Opening a Roth IRA for kids is easier than you may think. You can open one at several brokerage firms and banks. And you can manage the investments on behalf of your child. In this article, we’ll explore the benefits… read more…
- What Is Annuity Due?
“Annuity due” is a financial term that you may encounter when you are borrowing money, paying rent, saving for retirement or purchasing an annuity. Annuity due means that a payment is due at the beginning of the time period in question.… read more…
- Military Retirement System: Benefits, Rules and More
If you’ve served your country honorably or are considering doing so, you deserve to retire with dignity. But navigating the terrain of the active duty retirement system can be tough. Ultimately, the rules depend on when you joined the service. You may be eligible to collect a monthly pension check, contribute toward a thrift savings… read more…
- Roth 401(k) vs. Roth IRA: What Are the Differences?
Roth IRAs and Roth 401(k)s are retirement savings vehicles that allow you to entirely avoid taxes on your investment earnings when you withdraw in retirement. One may be better for you depending on your needs, so understanding the pros and cons of each can help you decide. Ultimately, while they work very similarly from a… read more…
- Medicare Part B: Coverage, Costs and Enrollment
Medicare is a government program that provides health insurance to senior citizens throughout the United States. There are four basic parts to Medicare, designated by letters A through D. Medicare Part B is an optional program for some outpatient services that… read more…
- The Best Places in the World to Retire
There’s plenty to consider when it comes to deciding where you want to retire. Some factors that typically come into play include cost of living, access to hospitals and medical care, retirement taxes and entertainment. In many cases, though, the best… read more…
- Which Type of Retirement Account Should You Open?
Unless you want to work until the day you die, planning for your retirement is a must. There are a number of ways to get ready to retire, but you’ll generally need to open a retirement account to save the money you need. That way you can spend your golden years traveling, relaxing and enjoying… read more…
- How Safe Harbor 401(k) Plans Work
A 401(k) plan is a widely used type of employer-sponsored retirement plan that allows employees to set aside pre-tax dollars for their retirement. Safe harbor 401(k) plans are a special type of 401(k) plan that small businesses use. Though there… read more…
- How 401(k) Plans Work: Company Matches, Tax Rules and More
Of the different kinds of employer-sponsored retirement savings plans, 401(k) plans are the most common. Indeed, an estimated 80 million Americans actively participate in defined contribution plans such as 401(k)s. But you can expect to see this number rise, thanks to… read more…
- Traditional IRA: Tax Rules, Limits and More
With a traditional individual retirement account (IRA), you contribute tax-deductible dollars to an investment account, where they grow tax-deferred. How much you can contribute per tax year is set by Congress. For 2023, it’s $6,500, plus a catch-up $1,000 for… read more…
- 401(k) Tax Rules: Withdrawals, Deductions & More
If you’re building your retirement saving, 401(k) plans are a great option. These employer-sponsored plans allow you to contribute up to $22,500 in pretax money in 2023 or $20,500 in 2022. Some employers will also match some of your contributions,… read more…
- 401(k) Investments: What’s the Right Option for You?
401(k) plans are one of the most popular retirement plans in the U.S., having blown past pensions as the primary employer-sponsored plan. And unlike pensions, 401(k)s require participants to choose where to invest their savings. While the options in most 401(k)s are… read more…
- How to Roll Over Your 401(k) to a Roth IRA
Rolling over your 401(k) plan to a Roth IRA is a taxable event. You’ll have to pay income tax on your contributions, your employer-match contributions and all earnings. Depending on the size of your account, this could push you into a much higher… read more…