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Retirement Planning
Average IRA Balance by Age: Traditional and Roth, From IRS Data
The average IRA holds $205,238 per owner, per IRS tax data, rising to $392,867 at ages 70-74. Average Roth IRA: $57,450. Medians, Roth vs traditional, by age.
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Retirement Planning
Average Retirement Age: When Americans Actually Retire, and What Each Age Costs
Retirees report a median retirement age of 62; workers expect 65 (EBRI 2026). Social Security claiming ages, full retirement age, and the cost of each age.
Investing Basics
Average Stock Market Return: About 10% a Year Since 1928, and What That Really Means
The S&P 500 has returned 10.0% a year compounded since 1928 with dividends, 6.8% after inflation. Plus recent returns, down years, and the average 401(k) return.
Retirement Planning
Backdoor Roth IRA: How It Works in 2026, Step by Step
Earn $168,000+ single or $252,000+ joint in 2026? A backdoor Roth still gets $7,500 into a Roth IRA. Steps, pro-rata math, Form 8606, mega backdoor.
Retirement Planning
Coast FIRE: The Number That Lets You Stop Saving for Retirement
Coast FIRE means you have invested enough that growth alone reaches your retirement number. The formula, a calculator, and what it takes at ages 25 to 50.
Retirement Planning
Federal Pay Raise 2027: A Proposed Freeze for Civilians, and What Could Still Change
The 2027 federal pay raise is 0% for civilians under the President's plan, vs 3.1% plus locality by formula. Military: 5-7% proposed. Not final yet.
Investing Basics
FNILX vs FZROX: Both Free, and 90% of FZROX Is Already FNILX
FNILX vs FZROX from Fidelity's filings: both charge 0.00%, every FNILX stock is inside FZROX, overlap 90%. The 2,100 extra small caps are under 10%.
Investing Basics
FTIHX vs VXUS: Two Indexes, One Market, a Tenth of a Point Apart
FTIHX vs VXUS from SEC filings: 93.1% overlap, 0.06% vs 0.05% fees, 10-year returns 9.10% vs 9.20% to 30 Sep 2026. Mutual fund vs ETF is the real choice.
Investing Basics
FXAIX vs SPY: Same S&P 500, One-Sixth the Fee, Different Way to Buy It
FXAIX vs SPY from the filings: 0.015% vs 0.0945% fees, FXAIX ahead 0.15 points a year over 10 years to 2025, no minimum, and when SPY still makes sense.
Saving Strategies
I Bonds: Current 4.26% Rate, How It Works, Limits, Taxes and the November 1 Reset
I bonds pay 4.26% (0.90% fixed) for purchases through October 31, 2026. The rate resets November 1. How the formula works, the $10,000 limit, taxes and how I bonds compare.
Retirement Planning
IRMAA Brackets 2026: Medicare Part B and Part D Surcharge Tables
IRMAA starts above $109,000 MAGI ($218,000 joint) in 2026, raising Part B from $202.90 to as much as $689.90 a month. Full tables, 2024 lookback, appeals.
Retirement Planning
Medicare Part B Premium 2026: $202.90 a Month, Plus What 2027 May Bring
The 2026 Medicare Part B premium is $202.90 a month, up $17.90, with a $283 deductible. Part A costs, hold-harmless, IRMAA, and the 2027 projection.
Investing Basics
QQQ vs VTI: 96% of QQQ Is Already Inside VTI, at Six Times the Fee
QQQ vs VTI from SEC filings: 96% of QQQ sits inside VTI, but that is only 48% of VTI. Fees 0.18% vs 0.03%; 10-yr returns 22.07% vs 15.04%.
Investing Basics
QQQM vs SCHG: 59% the Same, and SCHG Is the More Top-Heavy One
QQQM vs SCHG from both issuers' SEC filings: 59% overlap, a 0.15% vs 0.04% fee, and SCHG's top ten at 60% of the fund against QQQM's 50%.
Investing Basics
QQQM vs VUG: 63% Overlap, and VUG Puts More in Its Top Three
QQQM vs VUG from SEC filings: 63% overlap, VUG's fee now 0.03% vs 0.15%, and VUG's top ten at 63% of the fund against QQQM's 50%.
Retirement Planning
Required Minimum Distribution Table (IRS Uniform Lifetime)
At 75 the IRS divisor is 24.6, so a $500,000 IRA needs a $20,325 RMD. The full Uniform Lifetime Table (ages 72-120+), start ages, deadlines and penalties.
Investing Basics
SCHB vs VOO: 2,400 Stocks or 500, and 89% of SCHB Is the S&P 500 Anyway
SCHB vs VOO from both issuers' SEC filings: same 0.03% fee, 88% overlap, and the 1,900 extra stocks in SCHB were 11% of the fund. Returns to Aug 2026.
Investing Basics
SCHD vs VTV: A 100-Stock Dividend Screen or Broad Large-Cap Value?
SCHD vs VTV from the issuers' filings: SCHD yields 3.37% vs 1.89%, VTV costs 0.03% vs 0.06%, they overlap 17.1%, and 10-year returns are 0.30 points apart.
Investing Basics
SCHF vs VXUS: The Cheaper Fund Leaves Out a Third of the Market
SCHF vs VXUS from SEC filings: 0.03% vs 0.05%, 1,444 vs 8,790 stocks, 66.5% overlap. SCHF skips emerging markets and small caps; VXUS holds both.
Investing Basics
SCHG vs SCHX: SCHG Is the Growth Half of SCHX, at Higher Concentration
SCHG vs SCHX from Schwab's SEC filings: every SCHG stock is inside SCHX, 55% overlap, 0.04% vs 0.03% fees, and a top ten of 60% vs 39%.
Retirement Planning
Social Security COLA 2027: Where the Raise Stands Before the October Announcement
The 2027 Social Security COLA is not announced yet. With July and August CPI-W in, it is tracking near 3.4%. The final CPI input is out October 14, 2026.
Retirement Planning
Spousal Social Security Benefits: How Much You Get, When to Claim, and the Rules That Trip People Up
Spousal Social Security benefits pay up to 50% of the worker's full-retirement-age benefit, or as little as 32.5% if claimed at 62. Rules, divorce, GPO repeal and examples.
Investing Basics
SPY vs SPYM: The Same S&P 500 for About a Fifth of the Fee
SPY vs SPYM (formerly SPLG) from the SEC filings: 99.8% overlap, 0.0945% vs 0.02% fee, and SPYM ahead by 0.11 to 0.13 points a year to June 2026.
Investing Basics
SPY vs VTI: 88% the Same Stocks, and a Fee Gap That Ate Part of the Lead
SPY vs VTI from the SEC filings: 88% of VTI is S&P 500 stocks, fees 0.0945% vs 0.03%, and SPY ahead 0.41 points a year over 10 years to 2025.