Social Security
Social Security Spousal Benefits: How They Work and When to Claim
How Social Security spousal benefits are figured, what claiming before full retirement age costs, and why the higher earner's claiming age matters most.
Guides
Straight Answers to Your Retirement Questions
No jargon, no sales pitch — just clear answers to the questions we hear most from people near or in retirement. Written by David Fortosis, CFP®.
Roth · Featured
Should You Do Roth Conversions Before You Start Social Security?
Converting before you claim keeps Social Security out of the tax math. When that order works, when converting isn't worth it, and how Medicare's lookback fits.
Read more →Planning
Red Flags Your Advisor Isn’t Working For You
There are over 326,000 financial advisors in the U.S., and they come in all shapes and sizes. Some are an excellent fit — some no longer are. Here are the red flags that it may be time to re-evaluate yours.
Estate & Legacy
Inherited Stocks: Should You Sell Them or Keep Them?
Inheriting shares doesn't mean you have to carry on the investment strategy of the person who owned them.
Retirement Income
Should I Consolidate All My Retirement Accounts? Here's What to Consider
The natural instinct is to get everything into one place, and usually that's the right instinct. But the goal isn't to end up with as few accounts as possible.
Retirement Income
How Should I Prepare for Retirement?
Retirement means different things to different people.
Taxes
Understanding How to Maximize Tax Efficiency in Retirement
The goal of retirement tax planning isn't to minimize this year's taxes. It's to make decisions that, taken together, leave you and your family with more after-tax money over your whole retirement.
Estate & Legacy
Illinois Estate Tax: Why the $4 Million Exemption Matters More Than You Think
Illinois has its own estate tax with a $4 million exclusion. It isn't indexed for inflation, and it isn't portable between spouses.
Roth
Should I Convert to a Roth IRA? How to Decide Whether, and How Much
The question isn't whether a Roth conversion is good. Usually, how much to convert matters more than whether to.
Retirement Income
How to Invest for Retirement Income: Four Approaches and Their Tradeoffs
There's no single best way to turn a portfolio into a paycheck. Each sound approach handles some problems better than others.
Planning
What Is a Fiduciary Financial Advisor—and Is That Enough?
"Are you a fiduciary?" is one of the best questions you can ask an advisor. It's also one of the easiest to answer with a simple "yes" that tells you less than it seems to.