High fees can take a big bite out of your investments. Index funds, with low fees and passive management, normally outperform their more expensive, actively managed peers over time. It's a good idea to review your investments on an annual basis to make sure fees are reasonable and asset class balances are where you want them.

At the end of 2025, federal income tax rates are scheduled to go back to where they were before the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017. Many expect Congress to extend the tax cuts, at least for lower brackets, but nothing is guaranteed. If tax rates are set to increase, Roth IRA conversions today would make more sense for many people.

Very few people wait to take Social Security at age 70 or later. But, retirees with a decent amount of investments probably should wait until that age.

Seemingly small decisions can lead to huge changes in wealth over time. Paying high fees, contributing to the wrong types of accounts, or not getting the full company match can mean the difference between retiring early with enough money or working well into your 70s.

When you're early in your working years, or even not so early, it can be tough to conceptualize how retirement might happen. Let's try to sharpen that focus a bit. Here's a list of things to do if you anticipate retiring five years out or less.