A listener named Suzanne from Austin wrote into the How to Money podcast with a question I think a lot of points-and-miles people quietly wrestle with: she earns “several thousand dollars every year” from…
A spousal IRA is a powerhouse move that lets a working partner fund a retirement account for a spouse with little or no earned income, effectively doubling the household’s annual contribution from a single…
A 58-year-old engineer in Palo Alto, married filing jointly, earns $750,000 a year, has already stuffed $4 million into 401(k)s and IRAs, and parks another $1.2 million in a brokerage account that holds a…
The amount of your monthly Social Security benefit is determined based on a few key factors. Your income over your working life is one of the biggest things that determines the size of your…
Millions of older Americans rely on Social Security to cover their costs. And thankfully, Social Security benefits are eligible for an annual cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA. Without COLAs, Social Security benefits would not be…
A couple in their late 50s with a household income of around $300,000 gives roughly $8,000 a year to their church, alma mater, and even local food banks. They take the standard deduction since…
A married couple retiring at 62 with $1.6 million and no employer health coverage is stepping into one of the most expensive gaps in early retirement: the three years before Medicare begins at 65.…
Even though the stock market continues to hit new highs, investors are filled with anxiety. Uncertainty about world events and the global economy causes many people to freeze, says author and journalist Simone Stolzoff.…
A retirement income of $6,200 a month sounds comfortable in the abstract, at least until the numbers begin attaching themselves to actual bills. At 68, living in a moderate Northeast suburb means carrying costs…
Picture a couple at 62 with $1.4 million in traditional IRAs, no pension, and a plan to delay Social Security until age 70 for the largest monthly check. Their personal balance sheet is healthy.…
A couple in their early seventies in suburban Boston sits down with their accountant expecting a routine year-end check-in. They own a $2.1 million home, have $1.4 million in retirement accounts, $400,000 in a…
Todd Graves told Masters of Scale host Jeff Berman that his Raising Cane’s business plan earned the worst grade in his partner’s business class, despite being painstakingly detailed. “The professor said, the plan’s exceptional.…
The 60/40 portfolio built the retirement savings of a generation, but a new Schwab survey reveals most Americans have already quietly abandoned it without updating their strategy to match.
Kiplinger’s Personal Finance May 2026 letter makes it clear that if you are looking for yield, the door is wide open across the entire risk spectrum. We are seeing a massive spread, with opportunities…
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act contained some good news for seniors when it was signed into law by the Trump Administration. Those over 65 would be eligible for a new $6,000 tax deduction.…
