Wow, November kind of got away from me. We took a short 5-day trip to Puerto Rico, which was like a week off when you factor in packing and unpacking. It’s crunch time to get any last items on your New Year’s resolutions done. Are you even still keeping track of those? If not, dig them out and see if you can get a couple done. The rest of the year will go by quickly […]

Every year, the IRS updates various limits due to inflation. This covers everything from your tax rates and standard deductions to contribution limits for retirement accounts. Earlier this month, the IRS released the 2026 contribution limits for a variety of retirement accounts and despite their best efforts, it’s formatted like an encyclopedia. Here they are in a (hopefully) more easily readable format! 🤣 Table of Contents401(k), 403(b), 457 & TSP AccountsIndividual Retirement Arrangements (IRA)Health Savings Account (HSA)Other Limits and Ranges 401(k), 403(b), 457 & TSP Accounts The contribution limits for 401(k), 403(b), 457 & TSP has increased to $24,500 – a $1,000 increase over 2025. The catch-up contribution limit for those 50+ is an additional $8,000 – a $500 increase over 2025. The super catch-up limit for those 60-63 is an additional $3,250 on top of the $8,000 for a total super catch-up of $11,250. So the limits are now, based on age: Under 50 – $24,500 50 to 59 – $32,500 60 to 63 – $35,750 Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRA) For IRAs, your contribution limit is now $7,500 – a $500 increase over 2025. The catch up contribution limits for those over 50 years old has increased to $1,100 – a $100 increase over 2025. The Roth IRA income phaseouts have increased as well and remains based on the modified adjusted gross income: For single and head of household, the range is $153,000 to $168,000. For married filing jointly, the range is $242,000 to $252,000. For married filing separate, the range remained the same and is $0 to $10,000. Health Savings Account (HSA) These figures were not explicitly listed in the IRS page but Fidelity has a useful recap. If you are eligible for an HSA, your limits are now $4,400 for individuals (self-only) and $8,750 for family coverage. The catch up contribution limit for those 55+ is an additional $1,000. Other Limits and Ranges The Saver’s Credit (Retirement Savings Contributions Credit) increased its income limits: Singles & married filing separate tax filers income limit is $40,250 – up from $39,500 in 2025 Married filing jointly tax filers income limit is $80,500 – up from $79,000 in 2025 Heads of household tax filers income limit is $60,375 – up from $59,250 in 2025 SIMPLE retirement account limits increased to $17,000 – up from $16,500 from 2025. Catch up contributions for those 50+ has increased to $4,000 and the super catch up (60-63) is $5,250. The post 2026 Retirement Contribution Limits & Income Phaseouts Updated by IRS appeared first on Best Wallet Hacks.

Imagine opening your mailbox to find a check for hundreds of dollars waiting for you. How would that unexpected windfall change your day? With the rise of online shopping, there’s a simple way to turn everyday purchases into cash: through cash back rewards. In this article, I’m diving deep into how you can maximize your […] The post How to Earn Hundreds of Dollars With Rakuten Cash Back – Episode 115 appeared first on The […]

Before the article, check out the latest on my podcast, Personal Finance for Long-Term Investors: On Apple Podcasts On Spotify On YouTube Now, here’s today’s article: Phil wrote in this week: Jesse – if we do think that the stock market is overvalued right now, doesn’t it make sense to sell some stocks and move that money to cash? Or is that “timing the market?” Can’t I just argue it’s smart “rebalancing?” It kind of feels like semantics!! I’m writing this as a 68-year old retiree (retired since 2017). Interested to hear your thoughts.  I’ve been thinking about this myself, Phil. Yes, valuations are undoubtedly high. But, as Aswath Damodaran might ask, does that mean stocks are overpriced? And most to the point: should long-term investors and retirees do anything about it? The “Boglehead” and “Malkiel” in me both know that market timing is a fool’s errand. As John Bogle told us, “Don’t do something; just stand there.” At the same time… Returns have been so good. The S&P 500 return since January 2023 (35 months) is 22.46% per year. These kinds returns do not and cannot continue forever.  Zooming out, since Phil retired in 2017, the S&P has returned 14.5% per year. Simply outstanding. Valuations are high, especially among the biggest stocks in the market.  If there was ever an excuse to time the market, surely this is what it would look like? Or at least, I’m sure that’s the argument Phil and many others are telling themselves. In fairness to the idea, let’s do this: I’ll share both smart and dumb reasons to shift money into cash right now. Let’s see where your thoughts end up. Why Move to Cash Right Now There are logical reasons to consider a move to cash right now. Risk Reduction and Rebalancing Discipline Selling some stocks will lock in your gains and protect you if the market does correct sharply. This is purely a risk reduction measure. If your 60/40 starting portfolio is now closer to 70/30, then I’m all in favor of selling stocks to get back to 60/40…or perhaps 60 / 30 + 10% in cash.  Asset-Liability Matching If your financial plan includes asset-liability matching or a “goals-based” investing framework, then recent stock market performance might have blessed you with “excess capital.” The asset-liability framework suggests using low-risk assets (cash, bonds) to cover your spending needs for the near term. Then you use high-risk assets (such as stocks) to cover your long-term spending needs. But then, you might have all your future liabilities covered, yet still have some money to be deployed. This is excess capital. It’s money you don’t need. Your financial plan will be successful with or without it. For that reason, you can do what you want with it. Find a great charity. Take a flyer on your nephew’s

                                                     The month of October 2025 is another month of dividend income landing in my accounts.  Due to becoming debt free, I changed my pay myself model. Starting the beginning of August 2021, I am paying myself 30%, just like before. This will now consist of 24% to investing, and […]

This is what dividend investing is all about!  Investing in dividend stocks allows YOU to earn dividend income, the best passive income stream!  Bias, you better believe it. Time to dive into Lanny’s September 2025 dividend income results!  Were records set?  Almost to financial freedom?  One day and one month at a time! (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Dividend Income Dividend Income is the fruit from the labor of investing your money in the stock […]

Using the right filing status can make a huge difference in your taxable income and your total tax bill. One of the most underused, legitimate filing status options is called Head of Household. And using this status instead of filing as single can lower your taxable income by $7,875 (for 2025). There are rules about who can use the Head of Household (HoH) status, but more people qualify than they realize. And you might be […]

Not long ago, Jerrica Long hit a wall — literally. The Greenlight Yourself founder and storytelling expert had been clocking 15 to 18-hour days in Hollywood, juggling jobs from assistant to showrunner. The grind caught up to her. She was running on fumes, so worn out that one night, she nodded off at the wheel and crashed her car into a wall. After that, she knew something had to give. “I left the industry for […]