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5886 Articles

Drew Wood | May 12, 2026 at 10:01 AM EDT

The 3-Bucket Income Portfolio: How to Build $5,000 a Month From Dividends, Bonds, and REITs

Pulling $5,000 a month from a portfolio is a common benchmark for early retirees who want a middle-class income floor…

Ian Cooper | May 12, 2026 at 9:47 AM EDT

A 78-Year-Old’s $1.2 Million Inherited Family Home Faces a $190,000 Capital Gains Surprise When the Heirs Missed the Step-Up

A simple piece of paperwork most heirs never hear about can cost a family six figures. The 78-year-old at the…

Gerelyn Terzo | May 12, 2026 at 9:10 AM EDT

Divorced After 12 Years? You Can Claim Half Your Ex’s Social Security Without His Knowledge

A 66-year-old woman divorced 12 years ago after a 14-year marriage has a Social Security benefit of about $1,200 a…

David Beren | May 12, 2026 at 8:57 AM EDT

Northwestern Mutual’s 2025 Planning & Progress Study: Half of American Millionaires Think Their Financial Planning Needs Work

Northwestern Mutual’s 2025 Planning & Progress Study reveals that nearly half of American millionaires (49%) say their financial planning needs…

Marc Guberti | May 12, 2026 at 8:56 AM EDT

The Inherited 401(k) Mistake That Quietly Cost a $750,000 Beneficiary $120,000 in Excess Taxes

A 52-year-old engineer logged into her late father’s 401(k) portal and saw $750,000 sitting in a target-date fund. She earns…

Gerelyn Terzo | May 12, 2026 at 8:32 AM EDT

The Survivor Benefit Mistake That Costs Widows $912 Monthly for Life

A widow at 60 walks into the Social Security office a few weeks after her husband’s funeral. He had been…

Austin Smith | May 12, 2026 at 8:30 AM EDT

The 401(k) Bracket Smoothing Strategy That Keeps Retirees Out of the 22% Tax Bracket for Life

A 66-year-old single woman, retired, with $1.1 million in a traditional 401(k), $300,000 in a Roth IRA, and $200,000 in…

Ian Cooper | May 12, 2026 at 7:39 AM EDT

The Widow’s Tax Penalty Means Filing Single Squeezes $98,670 Into Narrower Brackets

Thirteen months after her husband’s death, a 75-year-old widow with $1.8 million sitting in her own and spousal-rolled-over IRAs is…

Gerelyn Terzo | May 12, 2026 at 7:15 AM EDT

How a 64-Year-Old Couple Added $200,000 to Social Security by Delaying One Claim

Picture a couple in their mid-60s trying to figure out when each should claim Social Security. One spouse earned more…

Gerelyn Terzo | May 12, 2026 at 6:47 AM EDT

When Claiming Social Security at 62 Beats Waiting Until 70 in Real Dollars

The standard advice on Social Security has hardened into gospel: wait until 70 and collect the biggest possible check. For…

Austin Smith | May 12, 2026 at 6:15 AM EDT

The Three-Bucket 401(k) Withdrawal Hack That Can Save Retirees Six Figures in Taxes

A married couple, ages 64 and 65, retired last year with $2.4 million spread across a traditional 401(k), a Roth…

Gerelyn Terzo | May 12, 2026 at 5:23 AM EDT

The Breakeven Math: Why Delaying Social Security From 67 to 70 Pays Off After Age 82

You hit your full retirement age at 67 with a Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) that pays $3,000 a month, or…

Jeremy Phillips | May 12, 2026 at 1:56 AM EDT

Start Investing at 25 Instead of 35: The Math Shows You’ll Have $426,000 More by 65

A 25 year old who invests $5,000 a year for a decade and then never contributes another dollar ends up…

Don Lair | May 12, 2026 at 1:53 AM EDT

You Owned Your House Before Marriage: But Half the Equity Gain Still Isn’t Yours

You bought the house. Your name is on the deed. You closed before you ever met your spouse, paid the…

Ian Cooper | May 11, 2026 at 11:40 AM EDT

Solo 401(k) Contributions Can Save You $30,000+ in Taxes This Year

On a recent episode of NerdWallet’s Smart Money Podcast titled Is College Worth It in 2026? Plus, How to Split…

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Personal Finance Articles

All Personal Finance Articles

The 3-Bucket Income Portfolio: How to Build $5,000 a Month From Dividends, Bonds, and REITs

A 78-Year-Old’s $1.2 Million Inherited Family Home Faces a $190,000 Capital Gains Surprise When the Heirs Missed the Step-Up

Divorced After 12 Years? You Can Claim Half Your Ex’s Social Security Without His Knowledge

Northwestern Mutual’s 2025 Planning & Progress Study: Half of American Millionaires Think Their Financial Planning Needs Work

The Inherited 401(k) Mistake That Quietly Cost a $750,000 Beneficiary $120,000 in Excess Taxes

The Survivor Benefit Mistake That Costs Widows $912 Monthly for Life

The 401(k) Bracket Smoothing Strategy That Keeps Retirees Out of the 22% Tax Bracket for Life

The Widow’s Tax Penalty Means Filing Single Squeezes $98,670 Into Narrower Brackets

How a 64-Year-Old Couple Added $200,000 to Social Security by Delaying One Claim

When Claiming Social Security at 62 Beats Waiting Until 70 in Real Dollars

The Three-Bucket 401(k) Withdrawal Hack That Can Save Retirees Six Figures in Taxes

The Breakeven Math: Why Delaying Social Security From 67 to 70 Pays Off After Age 82

Start Investing at 25 Instead of 35: The Math Shows You’ll Have $426,000 More by 65

You Owned Your House Before Marriage: But Half the Equity Gain Still Isn’t Yours

Solo 401(k) Contributions Can Save You $30,000+ in Taxes This Year

Here Are Tuesday’s Top Wall Street Analyst Research Calls: Boston Scientific, Clorox, CrowdStrike, Exxon Mobil, Honeywell International, Intuit, Intuitive Surgical, Levi Strauss, and More

Disney or Salesforce: Which Beaten-Down Dow Giant Is the Smarter Dip-Buy?

Another Memory Massacre Is Inbound on Tuesday: Micron, SanDisk, Seagate See Large Premarket Losses

Your 401(k) Plan Has a Hidden Roth Door. Here's How to Use It Before 2027

A City Electrician Dreaded the Windfall Elimination Cut to His Social Security. Then a 2025 Law Erased It.

Your 401(k) Plan Has a Hidden Roth Door. Here’s How to Use It Before 2027

Here Are Tuesday’s Top Wall Street Analyst Research Calls: Boston Scientific, Clorox, CrowdStrike, Exxon Mobil, Honeywell International, Intuit, Intuitive Surgical, Levi Strauss, and More

Personal Finance Articles

All Personal Finance Articles

The 3-Bucket Income Portfolio: How to Build $5,000 a Month From Dividends, Bonds, and REITs

A 78-Year-Old’s $1.2 Million Inherited Family Home Faces a $190,000 Capital Gains Surprise When the Heirs Missed the Step-Up

Divorced After 12 Years? You Can Claim Half Your Ex’s Social Security Without His Knowledge

Northwestern Mutual’s 2025 Planning & Progress Study: Half of American Millionaires Think Their Financial Planning Needs Work

The Inherited 401(k) Mistake That Quietly Cost a $750,000 Beneficiary $120,000 in Excess Taxes

The Survivor Benefit Mistake That Costs Widows $912 Monthly for Life

The 401(k) Bracket Smoothing Strategy That Keeps Retirees Out of the 22% Tax Bracket for Life

The Widow’s Tax Penalty Means Filing Single Squeezes $98,670 Into Narrower Brackets

How a 64-Year-Old Couple Added $200,000 to Social Security by Delaying One Claim

When Claiming Social Security at 62 Beats Waiting Until 70 in Real Dollars

The Three-Bucket 401(k) Withdrawal Hack That Can Save Retirees Six Figures in Taxes

The Breakeven Math: Why Delaying Social Security From 67 to 70 Pays Off After Age 82

Start Investing at 25 Instead of 35: The Math Shows You’ll Have $426,000 More by 65

You Owned Your House Before Marriage: But Half the Equity Gain Still Isn’t Yours

Solo 401(k) Contributions Can Save You $30,000+ in Taxes This Year

Here Are Tuesday’s Top Wall Street Analyst Research Calls: Boston Scientific, Clorox, CrowdStrike, Exxon Mobil, Honeywell International, Intuit, Intuitive Surgical, Levi Strauss, and More

Disney or Salesforce: Which Beaten-Down Dow Giant Is the Smarter Dip-Buy?

Another Memory Massacre Is Inbound on Tuesday: Micron, SanDisk, Seagate See Large Premarket Losses

Featured Reads

Your 401(k) Plan Has a Hidden Roth Door. Here's How to Use It Before 2027

A City Electrician Dreaded the Windfall Elimination Cut to His Social Security. Then a 2025 Law Erased It.