Retirement Planning

Starting a Roth IRA is not one decision. It is a short sequence: make sure a direct Roth contribution fits your situation, choose a provider, open the account, move money into it, invest that money, and set up the next contribution. The part beginners most often miss is that...

Beagle is a legitimate company, and Beagle Invest, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser. But that does not mean Beagle will find money you are actually owed—or that you need to pay it to start searching for an old 401(k). My 2026 Beagle 401k review comes down to one rule:...

A 403(b) calculator estimates how your current balance, contributions, employer match, assumed investment return, salary growth, and time could build your retirement savings. The number it gives you is a scenario, not a promise. That distinction matters. A calculator can do perfect math with bad assumptions. The useful question is...

Most RMD calculators can answer one question pretty quickly: “How much is my required minimum distribution from this account?” That is useful. Sometimes that is literally all you want. But the harder RMD question usually comes next: “Okay... I have multiple IRAs, an old 401(k), I already took some money out,...

Inherited IRA RMD rules in 2026 do not give every beneficiary the same answer. For many non-spouse beneficiaries, the account must be emptied by the end of the 10th year after death. But whether you also need annual required minimum distributions (RMDs) during that 10-year window depends heavily on...

No. A personally owned non-qualified annuity generally does not have required minimum distributions (RMDs) during the owner's lifetime. But an annuity held inside a Traditional IRA, 403(b), 401(k), or another retirement-plan wrapper can still be subject to the RMD rules that apply to that account. The easiest way to get...

Does your spouse stay home to raise the kids or manage the household? Did they take a career break for school, or do they work part-time with a low income? If so, you're likely facing one of the most common retirement planning anxieties I saw in my 30-year career:  How...

No. A required minimum distribution (RMD) is not earned income. You do not create wages, self-employment income, or IRA-contribution compensation by taking money out of a retirement account. But the taxable portion of an RMD is generally included in ordinary income, which means it can still change your adjusted...

Yes, you can combine some RMDs, but not all of them. For your own traditional, SEP, and SIMPLE IRAs, you calculate the required minimum distribution for each IRA separately, then you can generally take the combined total from one or more of those IRAs. Multiple 403(b) accounts have a...

You’re sipping your morning coffee when it hits you. Recent changes to retirement laws could dramatically shape how you manage your finances. SECURE Act 2.0 introduced a series of retirement rule changes that took effect in different years, with several important contribution-related updates applying in 2026. Here's what matters most about...