Retirement Planning
401(k), IRA, Roth accounts, pension plans, withdrawal strategies, required minimum distributions, and how much you need to retire.
Latest in Retirement Planning
The average 401(k) balance slid 4% to $141,000 after this year’s market swings
Millions of American workers opened their first-quarter 2026 retirement statements to find smaller numbers. The average 401(k) balance dropped roughly 4% to $141,000 after a...
A qualified longevity annuity lets you delay some required withdrawals and lock in income at 80
Retirees who turn 73 and face their first required minimum distributions now have a concrete way to shrink those forced withdrawals: move up to $200,000...
Keeping three to five years of spending in bonds lets retirees ride out a stock-market slump
Retirees who depend on portfolio withdrawals face a direct threat when stock prices fall sharply in the first years after they stop working. The risk,...
Workers who stay on the job past 73 can delay required withdrawals from that employer’s 401(k)
Americans who keep working past age 73 have a tax advantage hiding in plain sight: they can postpone required minimum distributions from their current employer’s...
Rolling an old 401(k) into an IRA can cut fees and unlock far more investment choices
Workers who leave a former employer’s 401(k) plan untouched often pay higher fees and accept a narrower menu of investments than they would in an...
The “rule of 55” lets you tap your current 401(k) penalty-free if you leave that job at 55 or later
Workers who leave their job at 55 or older can pull money from that employer’s 401(k) without paying the 10 percent early-distribution penalty that normally...
Lower-income savers can claim up to $1,000 for funding a retirement account
Workers earning modest incomes who put money into a retirement account can reduce their federal tax bill by as much as $1,000 per person, or...
Roth IRA earnings turn tax-free only after five years in the account
Savers who opened a Roth IRA for the first time in 2025 and plan to tap earnings in early retirement could owe federal income tax...
The yearly IRA catch-up for savers 50 and older rises to $1,100 in 2026 for the first time in years
Workers age 50 and older will be able to put an extra $1,100 into an individual retirement account starting in 2026, up from the $1,000...
High earners locked out of a Roth IRA can still fund one through a backdoor conversion each year
Taxpayers earning above the IRS income thresholds for direct Roth IRA contributions face a familiar barrier each filing season, but the workaround remains intact: a...
Workers 50 and older can add an extra $8,000 to a 401(k) in 2026 above the $24,500 limit
Workers age 50 and older will be able to set aside up to $32,500 in a 401(k) during 2026, combining a $24,500 base deferral limit...
You can split your tax refund straight into an IRA using Form 8888
Taxpayers expecting a federal refund this filing season have a little-known option that can turn part of that money into retirement savings before it ever...
Roth IRAs require no withdrawals in your lifetime and keep growing tax-free for heirs
Roth IRA owners never have to take a single dollar out of their accounts while they are alive, a statutory advantage that lets balances compound...
Target-date funds automatically move your savings from stocks to bonds as you near retirement
Millions of Americans saving for retirement through 401(k) plans hold target-date funds that automatically adjust their mix of stocks, bonds, and cash over time. The...
Lower-income retirees pay 0% federal tax on long-term investment gains
Retirees living on modest incomes can sell stocks, mutual funds, or other long-term investments and owe zero federal tax on the profits. That zero-rate window...
Starting this year, you can pull up to $2,500 from a 401(k) to pay long-term-care insurance premiums without the usual early-withdrawal penalty
Workers younger than 59 and a half now have a new way to cover long-term care insurance without draining their retirement savings or paying a...
Money you put into a Roth IRA can be withdrawn anytime, tax- and penalty-free
Anyone who has contributed to a Roth IRA holds a financial advantage that many account holders still do not fully grasp: the money they put...
An unpaid 401(k) loan turns into a taxable withdrawal, plus a 10% penalty if you’re under 59½
Workers who borrow from their 401(k) plans and fail to repay on schedule face an immediate tax hit: the entire unpaid balance is reclassified as...
Skipping your employer’s 401(k) match leaves free money on the table, often thousands of dollars a year
Workers who skip their employer’s 401(k) match forfeit one of the most direct paths to building retirement savings, often leaving thousands of dollars unclaimed each...
After 70½ you can send over $100,000 a year from an IRA straight to charity, tax-free
IRA holders who have reached age 70½ can direct up to $100,000 per taxable year straight from their retirement accounts to charity and exclude the...