Blogs
“Third-Party Posts”
2026 Retirement Income Planning: A Practical Guide to Turning Savings Into Paychecks
Retirement planning changes once the paychecks stop. In your working years, the goal is usually growth. In retirement, the goal becomes reliable income, tax efficiency,...
Long-Term Care Planning in 2026: The “Quiet” Risk That Can Reshape a Retirement Plan
When most people think about retirement planning, they focus on the big three: income, taxes, and investments. But there’s a fourth category that can quietly undo even...
A Well-Rounded Financial Plan Starts With the Whole Picture
When people think about “financial planning,” they often picture investing—choosing funds, watching the market, or trying to pick the right time to buy. But a truly...
Retirement in 2026: 7 Smart Moves to Turn Savings Into a Paycheck (and Sleep Better Doing It)
Retirement planning in 2026 isn’t just about “saving more.” It’s about building a reliable income plan, keeping taxes predictable, and making sure your money is...
Coming Soon: The Thrift Savings Plan Will Start Offering In-Plan Roth Conversions
Kick off 2026 with clear retirement planning goals. Learn the 6 most important steps to protect your income, reduce taxes, and stay on track. 2026 Retirement Planning...
Why Annuities Can Be a Great Fit Heading Into 2026
As we move into 2026, many investors are asking the same question: How do I protect what I’ve built—without giving up the ability to grow? That’s exactly where...
Heading into 2026: A Smart Retirement Checkup (Without the Overwhelm)
As we turn the page into 2026, it’s the perfect time to run a simple “retirement checkup.” Not a stressful deep dive. Just a clear look at a few areas that tend to make...
Fixed Indexed Annuities in 2026: A Smarter Way to Balance Growth and Protection in Your Retirement Portfolio
As we move into 2026, many retirees and pre-retirees are asking the same question: “How do I keep my retirement plan growing without exposing everything to the next...
Retirement Planning in 2026: Why Annuities Deserve a Serious Look
Retirement planning in 2026 looks different than it did even a few years ago. Many retirees and pre-retirees are facing a familiar challenge in a new way: they want...
Weekly Market Commentary
Global equity markets finished the week mixed, with US markets posting their second straight week of losses. Geopolitical concerns and trade tensions were top of mind...
Weekly Market Commentary
US financial markets ended the week with mixed results as investors assessed the first week of fourth-quarter earnings. Earnings results from the banks initially...
Weekly Market Commentary
US equity markets notched new highs in the second week of the new year, even as geopolitical tensions increased in several regions. The new highs came on a broadening...
2026: Here We Go Again!
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst It’s a new year, and the slate is wiped clean. Here we go again! While we are only one week into 2026, there are some important IRA...
Coming Soon: The Thrift Savings Plan Will Start Offering In-Plan Roth Conversions
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Since 2010, participants in certain private sector 401(k) plans have been able to boost their Roth retirement savings by doing an “in-plan...
Weekly Market Commentary
US markets ended the New Year holiday-shortened week with losses. Mega-cap Technology issues sold off on low volume, as did Financial and Consumer Discretionary...
Weekly Market Commentary
The Christmas-shortened week produced gains across all major US indices, with the S&P 500 and Dow Jones hitting record highs. Mega-cap Tech assumed its leadership...
Weekly Market Commentary
US markets finished the week mixed, with a late-week rally in technology mitigating early-week losses. Micron Technology’s third-quarter results were excellent and...
Weekly Market Commentary
The Federal Reserve, as expected, cut its monetary policy rate by twenty-five basis points to 3.50%-3.75% and tempered expectations for further cuts in 2026. The...
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Backdoor Roth IRAs and Inherited IRAs: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst QUESTION: When someone under age 59½ uses the “backdoor” method of making Roth IRA contributions, does the 10% penalty apply...
Grandparents Should Be Very Careful Before Opening Trump Accounts
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Contributions to Trump Accounts, the new tax-deferred savings vehicle for children, can’t be made until July 4, 2026. However, the...
5 Steps to Spring-Clean Your IRA
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Spring is here! Now is the time when many people spring-clean their homes. It is an opportunity to get organized,...
The Net Unrealized Appreciation (NUA) Strategy and Roth IRA Contribution Eligibility: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Question: Hello, I’ve run into someone who is retired, age 77, and therefore taking required minimum distributions (RMDs) from his...
6 Required Questions to Determine an IRA Beneficiary Payout Structure
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst 1. When did the decedent die? The SECURE Act impacts beneficiaries of decedents who died in 2020 or later. Anyone who passed...
How Will States Tax Trump Account Contributions?
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Trump Account contributions can be made as early as this July 4. But before making a contribution on behalf of a child, you should...
The Five-Year Rule and Rollovers to Employer Plans: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education QUESTION: Hi, I was wondering if my Roth account that is a part of my Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) through federal...
How an Excess IRA Contribution Can Happen to You
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Not all funds in an IRA belong there. When a contribution is not permitted in an IRA, it is considered an excess...
April 15: The Deadline for Some IRA Transaction, but Not All
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst April 15 is fast approaching. Not only is this the standard tax filing deadline, but it is also the deadline to complete...