7 guides

Retirement & Investing

The order to fill your accounts, Roth versus traditional, what an HSA really does for taxes, and what happens to a 401(k) when you leave.

Start with the complete guide

Which Retirement Account to Fill First: 401(k), IRA, HSA

The order to fund U.S. retirement accounts and why: employer match, HSA, Roth IRA, 401(k), taxable, with the 2026 limits and the reasoning.

September 1, 20267 min read

Retirement & Investing

RMD Deadlines Explained: The First-Year Delay Can Create a Tax Bunching Problem

Learn when required minimum distributions generally start, how the first-year delay works, and what to do if a withdrawal is missed.

October 22, 20265 min read

Retirement & Investing

What Happens to Your 401(k) When You Leave a Job

Leave it, roll it to the new plan, roll it to an IRA, or cash out: compared on fees, investment choice, creditor protection and the backdoor Roth complication.

October 22, 20267 min read

Retirement & Investing

Year-End 401(k) Checklist: Contributions, Match, and Beneficiaries

Check your 2026 retirement contributions, payroll deadlines, employer match, catch-up eligibility, and beneficiary records before year-end.

October 22, 20265 min read

Retirement & Investing

Social Security's 2027 COLA Is 3.6%: What It Means for Your Check

The 2027 Social Security COLA is 3.6%, announced October 14, 2026. When the raise arrives, how to estimate your new benefit, and what can shrink it.

October 21, 20264 min read

Retirement & Investing

Traditional vs. Roth 401(k): How to Pick

The one question that decides it, why the arithmetic ties when rates match, the five tie-breakers, and why splitting between both is usually right.

October 13, 20267 min read

Retirement & Investing

What Is an HSA, and Why It Beats a 401(k) and a Roth IRA on Taxes

How a Health Savings Account works, the 2026 limits, the triple tax break no other account has, and the receipt strategy that transforms it.

October 6, 20267 min read