Blog
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401k Rollover to IRA: A Complete, Practical Guide
- October 15, 2025
- Category: Investment Accounts & IRAs, Retirement Planning, Tax & Withdrawal Strategies
401k Rollover to IRA: A Complete, Practical Guide Executive summary: A 401k rollover to IRA can cut costs, expand investment choices, and simplify future withdrawals when you do it right. However, timing, tax treatment, access rules, ERISA protections, and employer stock can tilt the decision the other way. This guide shows when a rollover helps,
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The Safest Way to Use Retirement Savings: A Practical Guide
- October 15, 2025
- Category: Income Strategies, Retirement Planning, Tax Planning
The Safest Way to Use Retirement Savings: A Practical Guide Executive Summary: The safest way to use retirement savings is simple and sturdy: secure an income floor for essentials, hold a cash buffer for shocks, and invest the rest for long-term growth while following clear, rules-based withdrawal guardrails. Blend Social Security, pensions or annuities, a
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Do I Have Enough to Retire? 7 Signs You’re Ready
- October 15, 2025
- Category: Income Strategies, Retirement Planning, Tax & Withdrawal Strategies
Do I Have Enough to Retire? 7 Signs You’re Ready Executive summary: If you keep asking, “Do I have enough to retire?”, you’re really checking whether savings, income, and risks match the life you want. This guide turns that into a practical checklist. Use the seven signs, the quick scorecard, and the case studies to
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Should You Use Separate IRAs for Beneficiaries?
- October 15, 2025
- Category: Estate Planning, Retirement Planning, Tax Planning
Should You Use Separate IRAs for Beneficiaries? Executive Summary: For many families, separate IRAs for beneficiaries make taxes, withdrawals, and investments easier to manage. You gain independent control but accept extra paperwork, strict titling, and hard deadlines. This guide explains what separate accounts are, when they help, when a pooled approach is fine, and how
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Too Much Cash in Retirement? The Real Risks Explained
- October 15, 2025
- Category: Investment Strategies, Personal Finance, Retirement Planning
Too Much Cash in Retirement? Real Risks, Smart Fixes, and Better Alternatives Executive summary: Holding a large cash cushion feels safe, yet too much cash in retirement can quietly erode purchasing power, reduce long-term income, and raise the chance of falling behind inflation. A right-sized reserve for near-term spending (paired with bonds and diversified equities
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Contribute to IRA After Retirement: The Complete Guide
- October 15, 2025
- Category: Personal Finance Strategies, Retirement Planning
Contribute to IRA After Retirement: The Complete Guide Executive summary: You can contribute to IRA after retirement if you have earned income from wages or self-employment. For 2025, the IRA limit is $7,000 ($8,000 if you’re 50+). Roth IRA eligibility depends on your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI). Traditional IRA deductibility depends on workplace plan
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When Do RMDs Start for IRAs and 401(k)s?
- October 13, 2025
- Category: Personal Finance, Retirement Planning, Tax Strategies
When Do RMDs Start for IRAs and 401(k)s? Executive summary: If you’re wondering, “when do RMDs start,” the short answer is age 73 for most savers born 1951–1959. Your first IRA RMD is due by April 1 of the year after you turn 73, though you can also take it by December 31 of the
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Impact of Foreign Taxes on Retirement Income
- October 1, 2025
- Category: International & Expat Taxes, Retirement Income Strategies, Retirement Tax Planning
Impact of Foreign Taxes on Retirement Income Executive Summary If you receive income across borders in retirement, foreign taxes on retirement income can shrink your cash flow, or, with planning, become mostly a non-issue. This guide shows how the foreign tax credit (FTC), tax treaties, residency rules, and smart asset placement work together to reduce
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401(k) After Leaving Job: Your 4 Best Options
- October 1, 2025
- Category: 401(k) & Employer Plans, Retirement Planning, Tax & Withdrawal Strategies
401(k) after leaving job: Your 4 Best Options (and How to Choose) Executive Summary: What you do with a 401(k) after leaving job affects taxes, fees, and control for years. You generally have four choices: leave the money, roll to an IRA, roll into a new employer’s plan, or cash out. This guide explains each
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Can a Gold IRA Hold 401(k) Money?
- October 1, 2025
- Category: Investment Strategies, Precious Metals & Gold IRAs, Retirement Planning
Can a Gold IRA Hold 401(k) Money? Gold IRA Rollover Rules, Taxes & Steps Executive summary: Yes, you can move eligible 401(k) funds into a Gold IRA with a properly executed Gold IRA rollover. The simplest, lowest-risk path is a direct, trustee-to-trustee transfer into a self-directed IRA that can buy IRS-approved metals. Use a direct