Earning
Do Social Security Benefits Change When You Stop Working?
Social Security uses your top 35 earning years. Stop early and your projected benefit gets cut. Here’s what the math shows.
Articles by Kathleen Coxwell
Planning
2026 Catch-Up Contribution Limits: 401(k) and IRA
After 50, you can contribute up to $32,500 to a 401(k) and $8,600 to an IRA in 2026. Here’s how catch-up limits work at every age.
Budgeting & Spending
Living on Social Security Alone: 11 Strategies for Making It Work
The average Social Security benefit is $2,071 a month. Millions of retirees live on that. Here’s where to start.
Estate Planning
Top 10% Wealthiest Retirees Have $3M. How Do You Compare?
The top 10% wealthiest retirees have about $3.0M in net worth. See what the top 1% have, and where you stand.
Retirement Savings and Investments
What Rate of Return Should You Use for Retirement Planning? Here’s the Range.
Use 6–8% while you’re saving for retirement, 5–6% while you’re withdrawing. The right rate depends on your asset mix and timeline.
Planning
Hiro Finance Is Shutting Down: Here Are the Best Alternatives for Users Looking for a Smarter Financial Planning Tool
Hiro Finance is gone. Compare the best alternatives, including a powerful AI tool built for smarter financial planning.
Aging Well
Best Books on Retirement 2026: 27 Picks for Planning and Purpose
Books on retirement planning, purpose, and healthy aging that Boldin readers keep recommending, plus top picks for gifts.
Retirement Planning
5 High-Impact Retirement Planning Strategies Most People Never Use
Most people skip retirement planning strategies with the highest payoff. Here are 5 of them, including one that’s essentially free money.
Annuities
Suze Orman on Annuities: Pros, Cons, Rates, and Pitfalls
What does Suze Orman say about annuities? They can offer guaranteed lifetime income, but fees, taxes, and surrender charges are real trade-offs.
Family and Relationships
Social Security Optimization Strategies: 15 Tips to Maximize Your Benefits
Delaying Social Security to 70 can add $100,000+ in lifetime benefits. These are the planning strategies that make the biggest difference.
Planning
Retire at 62: What It Takes to Make It Work
At 62, Social Security is up to 30% smaller and Medicare is 3 years away. Here’s how to plan for both and know if your portfolio is ready.
Estate Planning
Average Inheritance From Parents Is $46,200. Most Get Less.
See figures by trust, education, and wealth tier, from $6,100 for the least wealthy to $2.7 million for the top 1%, plus what it means for your plan.
Financial Wellness
Emotional Intelligence and Money: Are You Making the Right Decisions With Your Investments?
Money is not all about numbers and analysis. Emotions can help and hurt your financial security. Learn how to be an emotionally intelligent investor.
Your Career
The Smart Case for Retiring Earlier Than You Think
Arthur C. Brooks argues that staying in your career too long is a real risk, and that most successful people retire later than they should.
Retirement Planning
Retirement Tax Planning: How to Keep More of Your Money
Retirees often pay more in taxes than they expect. Here’s how to plan withdrawal sequencing, Roth conversions, and RMDs for a lower bill.
Aging Well
10 Most Accurate Life Expectancy Calculators for Retirement
Compare the most accurate life expectancy calculators: Living to 100, Blue Zones, SSA and Wharton tools, and more. See who each is best for.
Insurance
Health Insurance Age 62 to 65: Average Cost Before Medicare
Average health insurance cost from 62 to 65 often tops $1,000 a month without a subsidy. See real cost ranges and how to plan for it.
Happy Retirement
The Odyssey Plan: Design 3 Futures Before You Lock in Your Retirement
The Odyssey Plan helps you explore bigger possibilities, test tradeoffs, and choose with real confidence.
Housing and Home Equity
Where Should You Retire? A 9-Factor Framework to Get It Right
Explore 10 things to think about – lifestyle and financial factors – when considering the best state for retirement.
Retirement Planning
Roth 401k Limits for 2026: Contribution and Catch-Up Rules
The 2026 Roth 401k limit is $24,500, plus catch-up for age 50 and up. See the new rules, including who has to use Roth for catch-up starting this year.
Pensions
Find a Lost 401(k) for Free: National Registry, DOL Database & More
31.9 million forgotten 401(k)s hold an estimated $2.1 trillion. Search the National Registry, DOL database, PBGC, and more — all free.
Budgeting & Spending
How to Live Without Money: Lessons From People Who Did It
People like Jo Nemeth and Mark Boyle lived without money entirely. Here’s what they learned about community, self-reliance, and security.
Retirement Savings and Investments
10 Questions to Ask Yourself During Market Volatility
When markets feel uncertain, asking the right questions matters. These 10 questions can help you review your financial plan and make smarter decisions during vo…
Retirement Savings and Investments
The One Chart to Review Every Time the Markets Get Unsteady
Review the long term trajectory of the S&P 500, see how long historic recoveries have taken, and learn how to protect your financial security.
