The beginning of a new year is an ideal time to pause and evaluate your progress toward retirement. While retirement planning is often viewed as a long-term endeavor, small annual adjustments can make a meaningful difference over time. A New Year retirement check-in helps ensure your strategy still aligns with your goals, lifestyle expectations, and [...]
Roth IRAs come with powerful long-term advantages, especially the promise of tax-free income in retirement. However, those benefits depend on following a few important rules, including a timing requirement known as the five-year rule. Since this rule affects when withdrawals become tax-free, every Roth IRA owner should be familiar with how it works. 1. Your [...]
For many people, the idea of retiring early, perhaps in their 50s or even 40s, sounds like a dream come true. The freedom to travel, spend more time with family, or pursue passions without financial stress is deeply appealing. But is early retirement a realistic goal, or just a fantasy? The answer depends largely on [...]
Many people approach retirement with a general idea of how much they will spend each year, often based on the assumption that their costs will decrease once they stop working. While some expenses may go down, others can stay the same or even rise. Underestimating retirement expenses is one of the most common mistakes people [...]
One of the most important financial decisions you will make during your retirement planning process is deciding when to start collecting Social Security benefits. Many people assume that taking benefits as early as possible is always the best move. Others believe waiting until age 70 is the smartest strategy. The truth is, the right answer [...]
Retirement marks the beginning of a new chapter in life. After years of working, saving, and planning, it is finally time to enjoy the rewards. But one of the most important questions retirees face is how to make their savings last. That is where a sustainable withdrawal strategy becomes essential. Your withdrawal strategy determines how [...]
For many parents and grandparents, deciding how to allocate savings between a loved one's college education and their own retirement can be challenging. While both are important financial goals, it’s essential to strike the right balance so that neither is compromised. Here, we share some strategies to help you manage both priorities effectively. 1. Put [...]
The decision to retire is a significant milestone, and for many, the age at which they leave the workforce varies based on numerous factors. Some individuals choose to work past the full retirement age to increase their Social Security benefits, while others retire early due to personal reasons such as health or lifestyle changes. Regardless [...]
Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) are a critical aspect of retirement planning, but they can also be a source of confusion and costly mistakes. To help protect your retirement savings, it’s important to understand the most common RMD mistakes and how to avoid them. Here are seven key pitfalls to watch out for: 1. Ignoring the [...]
The Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2025 is projected to be 2.6%, a modest increase that reflects current inflation trends. While this adjustment aims to help beneficiaries keep pace with rising costs, it’s important to understand how it will affect retirement income and whether it aligns with financial needs. The estimated 2.6% COLA for [...]