Personal Finance
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Personal Finance Topics
Taxes
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Ask the Analyst: What Is the Best Source for Low-Risk Tax-Free Income?
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Think You’re Ready for Retirement? Start With This 9-Step Checklist
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An IRA Strategy That Lowers Your Tax Bill
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Your HSA Needs a Succession Plan
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The RMD Mistakes That Could Increase Your Tax Bill
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Early Retirees: Why Now Is the Time to Convert Your IRA to Roth
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Why Low Dividend Yields Are Actually Good News for Investors Seeking Income
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Ed Slott: Don’t Waste Your Low-Tax Years in Retirement
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7 Investments to Keep Out of Your Taxable Account
Saving and Spending
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Why Cash Is Still King for Short-Term Goals
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Think You’re Ready for Retirement? Start With This 9-Step Checklist
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You Saved for Retirement. Now Comes the Hard Part
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How the US Compares With 9 Other Countries at Turning Savers Into Investors
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Our Best Investment Portfolio Examples for Savers and Retirees
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Model Vanguard Portfolios for Short- and Intermediate-Term Goals
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Model Portfolios for Short- and Intermediate-Term Goals
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Tax-Efficient Retirement-Bucket Portfolios for ETF Investors
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Tax-Efficient Retirement-Bucket Portfolios for Schwab Supermarket Investors
Medical Expenses and Long-Term Care
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Spencer Look and Jack VanDerhei: The Assumptions That Can Put Your Retirement at Risk
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Erin Moriarity: My Dad Lost About $1.5 Million on Bad Investments. Here’s How to Avoid His Mistakes
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Aging and Death in America: ‘I Basically Want to Burn It All Down and Restart’
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If a Parent Won’t Move, You Might Have to Let Them ‘Fail at Home’
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Your HSA Needs a Succession Plan
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Helping With Your Parents’ Finances? Think Twice Before Joining Their Bank Account
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The Best HSA Providers of 2026
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Elliott Appel: Caring for My Father Put My Life on Pause for 7 Years. Here’s What I Learned
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Is a Long-Term-Care ‘Hybrid’ Policy Right for You?
Save for College
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Our Updated 529 Medalist Rating Methodology Offers More Detail for Investors
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Understanding Your Federal and State 529 Tax Benefits
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529 Plan vs. Taxable Brokerage Account: Why a Hybrid College Savings Strategy May Work Best
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Trump Accounts vs. 529: Assessing the Pros and Cons
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Do You Need a 529 Savings Account? Yes, for Many Reasons
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Your 529 Questions, Answered
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Morningstar’s Guide to 529 Plans
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529 Plans Keep Getting Cheaper: 5 Key Takeaways From Our 2026 Study
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I (Finally) Started Saving for My Kids’ Educations. What Was Stopping Me?
More in Personal Finance
Christine Benz: Why I Hired a Financial Planner
5 key reasons why even dedicated DIYers might benefit from paying for financial advice.
Retiring With Less Than $1 Million? Here Are 10 Ways to Make Your Savings Last
A successful retirement depends on income, spending, taxes, and flexibility, not a seven-figure balance.
Erin Moriarity: My Dad Lost About $1.5 Million on Bad Investments. Here’s How to Avoid His Mistakes
The creator of ‘Erin Talks Money’ discusses the value of professional advice, preparing for cognitive decline, and fear-based underspending.
Why Cash Is Still King for Short-Term Goals
Longer-term bonds are more attractive than they’ve been in a long time, but they still carry a fair amount of risk.
Think You’re Ready for Retirement? Start With This 9-Step Checklist
The date you retire is only part of the picture. Also consider your income needs, spending rate, taxes, and more.
Aging and Death in America: ‘I Basically Want to Burn It All Down and Restart’
After caring for his sick father, financial planner Elliott Appel has some ideas around health insurance, healthcare spending, and mixed-age communities.
If a Parent Won’t Move, You Might Have to Let Them ‘Fail at Home’
Financial planner Elliott Appel discusses difficult housing decisions, setting limits, and helping a parent without burning yourself out.
Your HSA Needs a Succession Plan
Health savings accounts offer a trifecta of tax benefits, but they’re less valuable after an account owner dies.
Helping With Your Parents’ Finances? Think Twice Before Joining Their Bank Account
Financial planner Elliott Appel explains the risks of joint accounts and offers practical ways to help aging parents manage everyday financial tasks.
The Best HSA Providers of 2026
Learn how you could benefit from a health savings account and see our ratings of top providers.
Ask the Analyst: Is Now a Bad Time to Invest New Money?
Think about your goal and time horizon when deciding whether to invest during an uncertain economic environment.
When a Retirement Rollover Goes Wrong, You Pay the Price
A recent IRS ruling highlights the risks of rollover errors.
How the US Compares With 9 Other Countries at Turning Savers Into Investors
The US appears to be a nation of investors, but gaps in workplace retirement plan access leave some workers out.
How Much Can You Safely Withdraw If You Retire Early?
Your retirement time horizon is a big factor, but Social Security, future employment, and changes in spending also matter.
Retirement Planning for Real Life, With Christine Benz
Whatever your family situation, Christine Benz has retirement planning insights tailored to your circumstances.
Ed Slott: Don’t Waste Your Low-Tax Years in Retirement
Christine Benz talks with tax expert Ed Slott about withholding taxes versus quarterly payments, Medicare’s IRMAA surcharge, and how new retirees can create a tax-smart withdrawal strategy.
7 Investments to Keep Out of Your Taxable Account
Some investments are structurally a poor fit for taxable accounts, leaving investors with an unwelcome tax bill.
Is This ETF Still an Unstoppable Yield Machine?
ULTY attracted investors with eye-popping distributions, but its performance has been disappointing.
5 Estate-Planning Mistakes That Could Cost Your Family
Small estate-planning missteps can create major headaches for your heirs.
Retirement Planning for Parents Raising a Child With a Disability
How families can prepare for a child’s long-term financial needs while securing their own retirement.
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