Jul 2, 2026
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6 min read
Both skip probate on a $420,000 home. But only one gives the heirs a full stepped-up basis — and a $0 tax bill, not $22,875.
Jul 1, 2026
5 min read
The safe rate yields $1,690 a month on Frank's $520,000. He needs $2,100, and each door closes the $410 gap differently.
Jun 30, 2026
4 min read
That's the headline. The Trustees Report shows 78% of benefits still paid — about $1,622 a month — from payroll taxes alone.
Jun 29, 2026
Two-thirds of a retiree's wealth can be locked in the house. One way out means moving; the other lets you stay and grows a debt.
Jun 26, 2026
In 2026, your covered drug costs stop at $2,100 — the first hard ceiling ever. Hit it, and the rest of the year costs you nothing.
Jun 25, 2026
The Fed hasn't moved rates all year. The gap is a choice each bank makes — and the higher rate carries the same federal insurance.
Jun 24, 2026
3 min read
She's 60 and buys her own health insurance. That one timing choice pushed her over an income line — and doubled her premium.
Jun 23, 2026
The headline rate is 4.2%. Strip out a war-driven energy spike, and the underlying rate the Fed watches sits at 2.9%.
Jun 22, 2026
I Bonds pay 4.26% and cap you at $10,000 a year. TIPS have no limit, but the IRS taxes those gains before you ever see the cash.
Jun 19, 2026
The lowest-tax years of your life might be happening right now. The window closes December 31.
Jun 18, 2026
Same dollars. Two very different tax bills. And a narrow window to decide which one you pay.
Jun 17, 2026
Unemployment is 4.3% today. The average during real recessions since 1950 is 6.7%.
