Articles
Deeper dives on retirement-planning topics that don’t fit neatly inside a calculator — the mechanics, the tradeoffs, and the strategies people actually use. See the About page for who writes these and how they’re sourced.
July 13, 2026
When to Claim Social Security: A Breakeven Analysis
Claiming early locks in a smaller check for longer; waiting locks in a bigger check for less time. Here's the actual math behind that trade-off — and why the math isn't the whole story.
July 13, 2026
Required Minimum Distributions, Explained
Once you hit your RMD age, the IRS stops letting your pre-tax accounts grow tax-deferred forever. Here's exactly how the withdrawal is calculated and what your options are.
July 13, 2026
Net Unrealized Appreciation (NUA): The 401(k) Tax Break Most People Never Use
A narrow rule for a specific situation — appreciated company stock inside a 401(k) — that can turn a big ordinary-income tax bill into a long-term capital gains one, if you do it correctly.
July 13, 2026
The Rule of 55: Tapping Your 401(k) Early Without the Penalty
Leave your job at 55 or later and the 10% early-withdrawal penalty on that employer's 401(k) disappears — but only under specific conditions, and only until you roll the money somewhere else.
July 13, 2026
Glide Path Strategies: How Your Allocation Should Change Over Time
Target-date funds made glide paths mainstream, but the idea — gradually shifting from stocks to bonds as retirement nears — has more nuance to it than "get safer as you age."