by ff | Aug 12, 2026 | Retirement Planning
A spousal benefit lets someone claim Social Security based on their husband or wife’s earnings record instead of (or in combination with) their own – but the rules are narrower than most people assume, and claiming it early costs more than people expect....
by ff | Aug 12, 2026 | Retirement Planning
Our Solo 401(k) vs. SEP-IRA guide covers retirement plan choice for someone self-employed with no or minimal employees. A SIMPLE IRA solves a different problem: a small business with real employees on payroll, where a 401(k)’s administrative cost and compliance...
by ff | Aug 12, 2026 | Retirement Planning
Not all retirement accounts get the same protection if you ever file bankruptcy — and the gap between the best-protected and worst-protected account types is large enough that it’s worth knowing before a crisis forces the question. ERISA-Qualified Plans: No...
by ff | Aug 12, 2026 | Retirement Planning
Most people assume a 401(k) is locked up entirely until they leave their job or turn 59½. Two real, plan-permitting exceptions punch through that assumption — and one of them is the exact mechanism that makes the Mega Backdoor Roth strategy work at all. What an...
by ff | Aug 12, 2026 | Retirement Planning
Starting serious retirement saving in your 50s isn’t a lost cause, but it does mean the order you do things in matters more than it would have at 30 — there’s less time for compounding to fix a wrong-order mistake. Priority One: Never Leave the Match...
by ff | Aug 12, 2026 | Retirement Planning
State and local government employees get access to a retirement plan with one feature no 401(k), 403(b), or IRA can match: real penalty-free access at any age once you leave the job. Most participants never learn this rule exists until they’ve already rolled the...
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