Retirement Planning
Retirement Planning, Roth IRA vs Traditional IRA
IRA Catch-Up Contributions 2027: What the IRS Data Shows for Retirement Savers Over 50
The 2026 IRA catch-up contribution limit is $1,100 — the first increase above the long-standing $1,000 fixed amount, enabled by SECURE 2.0 inflation indexing. For savers age 50 and older, the total 2026 IRA ceiling is $8,600. The 2027 figure isn't official yet. What is confirmed: the mandatory Roth catch-up rule for high earners applies only to workplace plans, not IRAs; the $8,600 ceiling is a combined limit across all IRA accounts; and the April tax deadline gives IRA contributors flexibility that 401(k) payroll systems don't allow.
401k Complete Guide, Retirement Planning
401(k) Catch-Up Contributions 2027: What the IRS Rules Show for People Over 50
The official 2027 401(k) catch-up limits don't exist yet — the IRS announces them in October or November. But the rules that govern catch-up contributions are already confirmed for 2026: standard catch-up $8,000 (ages 50+), super catch-up $11,250 (ages 60–63), and mandatory Roth treatment for workers above $150,000 in 2025 FICA wages. This article covers what's confirmed versus projected, and how to plan ahead of the official announcement.
401k Complete Guide, Retirement Planning
Year-End 401(k) Moves for 2026: What the IRS Data Shows You Should Review
The 2026 employee 401(k) deferral limit is $24,500. Workers ages 60–63 can reach $35,750 under the IRS Notice 2025-67 super catch-up. Both figures expire permanently December 31 — unlike an IRA, there's no April extension for employee deferrals. And starting January 1, 2026, workers age 50+ who earned above $150,000 in 2025 FICA wages must route all catch-up contributions to Roth. Here's what the IRS data shows you should review before December 31.
Retirement Planning, Roth IRA vs Traditional IRA
Can You Take All Your RMD From One Account?
Yes — but with one non-negotiable step first. IRS Publication 590-B confirms you can pull all your IRA RMDs from one account, as long as you calculate each IRA separately before combining. Here's the full aggregation table and what 401(k) owners need to know.
Retirement Planning, Roth IRA vs Traditional IRA
RMD Deadline 2026: Exact IRS Dates and Rules
The RMD deadline for 2026 has two answers — December 31 for most, April 1, 2027 for first-timers. Here's the IRS formula, a real Publication 590-B example, and the correction path if you miss the cutoff.
Retirement Planning, Roth IRA vs Traditional IRA
Roth Conversion Deadline 2026: What the IRS Rules Show
April 15, 2027 is not the Roth conversion deadline. December 31, 2026 is. Here's what the IRS rules in Publication 590-B actually show — including the pro rata rule most guides skip.
401k Complete Guide, Retirement Planning
401k Contribution Deadline 2026: The Real Rules Behind the Date
December 31 isn't the real deadline. I researched the IRS rules behind the 2026 401(k) contribution cutoff — and the payroll timing, catch-up limits, and new Roth requirement that actually matter.
Retirement Planning, Social Security Benefits
Can You Draw Social Security at 62 and Still Work? What the 2026 SSA Data Shows
Yes, you can claim Social Security at 62 and keep working in 2026 — but earnings above $24,480 trigger the SSA's $1-for-$2 withholding formula. Here's what the official SSA and IRS data shows about earnings limits, the early-claiming reduction, and what happens to withheld benefits at full retirement age.
Retirement Planning, Social Security Benefits
Social Security COLA 2027 Estimate: What the Latest SSA and CPI-W Data Shows
As of August 2026, the Social Security COLA 2027 estimate stands at ~3.1% from July CPI-W data, while the SSA Trustees projection is 2.7%. Outside forecasts reach 3.5%–3.6%. None is final — the official announcement comes in October 2026. Here's what the data actually shows.
Common Retirement Mistakes, Retirement Planning
Can You Take All Your RMD From One Account? What the IRS Rules Actually Show
You don't always have to take an RMD from every retirement account you own. IRS rules let owners combine RMDs from traditional, SEP, and SIMPLE IRAs and withdraw the total from one IRA. But the account type changes everything — here's what the research actually shows.
