Marco Vdm | E+ | Getty Images For many investors, workplace retirement plans build long-term savings via automatic paycheck deferrals. But most employees don’t make Roth contributions, which can grow tax-free. Some 86% of retirement plans, such as 401(k)s, offered Roth contributions in 2024, but only 18% of investors with the option participated, according to…
Alistair Berg | Digitalvision | Getty Images While you may hope to step out of the workforce sooner rather than later, it’s easier said than done, experts say. On average, surveyed Americans, asked “What age should you be” for retirement, said 58, according to a recent report by Empower, which polled 1,001 adults on June…
D3sign | Moment | Getty Images If you want to access investments typically reserved for the wealthy, regulators may someday let you — provided you can pass a test. That in itself may not be easy, considering that many consumers can’t pass a basic financial literacy quiz. But coming up with an exam that helps…
After years of stock market growth, many investors are sitting on large profits in taxable accounts, which could trigger hefty capital gains when sold. That bill can be significant for wealthy Americans, with a 20% top capital gains rate, plus 3.8% net investment income tax, depending on earnings. One solution, known as a 351 conversion…
Young couple considering early retirement. Ric Rowan | Getty Images While some Americans think starting to save for retirement in your late 20s is ideal, financial advisors say it can pay to start even sooner — especially if you plan to retire early. On average, surveyed Americans say you should start saving for retirement at…
Alvaro Gonzalez | Moment | Getty Images If you’re eyeing a Roth conversion, President Donald Trump‘s “big beautiful bill” could make the strategy more complicated, according to financial experts. Roth conversions transfer pretax or nondeductible individual retirement account funds to a Roth IRA, which starts future tax-free growth. The trade-off is paying regular income taxes on the converted…
People shop at a supermarket in Rockville, Maryland, on July 18, 2025. Sha Hanting | China News Service | VCG | Getty Images Social Security beneficiaries may see a 2.7% cost-of-living adjustment in 2026, according to new estimates from policy experts, based on the latest government inflation data. That projected increase would be higher than…
Johner Images | Johner Images Royalty-free | Getty Images Investors may soon have greater access to private assets — that is, investments that are not publicly traded — in their 401(k) or other workplace retirement plans. Financial advisors say that for many workers, the risks may outweigh the rewards. President Donald Trump signed an executive…
10’000 Hours | Digitalvision | Getty Images Criminals are increasingly pilfering the retirement and other financial accounts of older Americans via so-called “imposter” scams, the Federal Trade Commission reported Thursday. The frauds tend to go like this: Scammers conjure a fake crisis and pose as trustworthy sources — perhaps a representative for a bank or…
M Swiet Productions | Getty Images Eligibility for Social Security retirement benefits starts at age 62. But for prospective beneficiaries who can wait, the biggest benefit becomes available at age 70. For many retirees, that poses a dilemma — how to fund those interim years while they wait to claim that highest monthly benefit check….
