Practical steps to protect your retirement savings when markets decline

Learn how pausing retirement contributions can affect long-term savings, employer matches, and retirement outcomes. The article also explains how to test lower contributions before making a change.

How to tell when your retirement plan gives you room to spend, give, retire earlier, or enjoy more flexibility

This article explains how to interpret a retirement plan’s Monte Carlo probability of success. A 90% success probability can represent a strong plan, but the number should not be treated like a simple grade.

The widow’s penalty can seriously affect a surviving spouse’s retirement plan. It is not a separate tax, but a financial disadvantage that can occur when one spouse dies and the survivor has less household income while facing less favorable tax and Medicare rules.

Long-term care is one of the hardest retirement expenses to plan for because the timing, duration, and type of care are uncertain. Care may include help at home, assisted living, memory care, or nursing-facility care, and not everyone will need the same level of support.

Roth conversion planning is not just about deciding whether to convert. It is about finding the right timing, annual conversion amounts, and overall objective.

Retirement income planning is different from saving for retirement. The focus shifts from accumulation to creating a sustainable income stream.

Higher inflation combined with market volatility can create additional pressure on retirement portfolios.

A strong retirement plan doesn’t just focus on total wealth. It accounts for timing, taxes, and healthcare costs together.

Retirement risk is driven more by when you retire than by your average investment return.

Medicare IRMAA can reduce your net Social Security payment because higher-income retirees pay more for Medicare Part B and Part D.

Read about 5 practical, tax-efficient strategies retirees can consider, along with examples of how planning software like WealthTrace can help bring structure and clarity to the process.

Healthcare costs are still rising - but unevenly. Medicare premiums and deductibles are up in 2026, while some caps and average plan premiums are improving.

There are a lot of changes for 2026 when it comes to financial and retirement planning.

Social Security benefits will rise by 2.8% in 2026, giving the average retiree an extra $56 per month beginning in January.

Higher earners (making $145,000 in salary or more) must make catch-up contributions into a Roth account starting in 2026.

Roth conversions and Qualified Charitable Distributions can help manage taxable income and reduce future RMD obligations.

An executive order could allow retirement savers to invest in private equity, real estate, and even digital assets like Bitcoin.

If charitable giving is part of your financial plan, upcoming changes to federal tax rules could affect how much of your generosity is deductible.