Blogs
“Third-Party Posts”
How a Fixed Indexed Annuity Can Work for You in 2026
As Americans continue preparing for retirement in an uncertain economic environment, many are looking for ways to protect their savings while still having the...
The Biggest Retirement Risk Isn’t the Market—It’s Having No Plan
When people think about retirement, they often focus on one thing: the stock market. They worry about the next downturn, the next recession, or the next headline...
Why Financial Confidence Starts With a Plan, Not a Product
Retirement isn't built on luck—it’s built on preparation. While investment performance, insurance coverage, and market conditions all play important roles, one factor...
Why a Retirement Income Plan Matters More Than Your Investment Returns
Many people spend decades focused on growing their retirement savings. They watch the markets, contribute to retirement accounts, and celebrate when their balances...
The Retirement Tax Trap: Why Keeping More of Your Money Matters More Than Chasing Higher Returns
When people think about retirement, they often focus on growing their investments. They search for higher returns, the next great investment opportunity, or ways to...
The Retirement Mistake Nobody Talks About: Having a Plan But Never Updating It
Many Americans spend years preparing for retirement. They contribute to their 401(k)s, open IRAs, purchase insurance, and work diligently to build their nest egg. Yet...
Mid-Year Financial Checkup: Why June Is the Perfect Time to Reassess Your Financial Plan
As we reach the halfway point of the year, many people take stock of their health, careers, and personal goals—but often overlook one of the most important areas of...
Retirement Isn’t Just About Saving Money—It’s About Creating Income You Can Count On
For many Americans, retirement planning begins with one simple question: "How much money do I need to retire?" While building savings is important, a more critical...
7 Financial Mistakes That Can Derail Your Retirement — And How to Avoid Them
Retirement should be a time filled with freedom, confidence, and peace of mind — not uncertainty and financial stress. Yet many people unknowingly make decisions during...
Weekly Market Commentary
Markets took a step back last week despite a better-than-expected start to second-quarter earnings and benign inflation data. Semiconductor names continued to come...
Weekly Market Commentary
US markets finished the week mixed in volatile trade. The rotation from technology into other parts of the market reversed this week, as leadership from mega-cap tech...
Weekly Market Commentary
The holiday-shortened week saw the end to the best 2nd quarter in six years as the S&P 500 added over $8 trillion in market value. The Semiconductor sector...
Weekly Market Commentary
Markets finished the week mixed, with a noticeable rotation out of mega-cap technology issues to healthcare, real estate, and consumer staples. Concerns about the...
Weekly Market Commentary
Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers out there. The holiday-shortened week brought gains to US equities and saw the Japanese and South Korean markets forge new...
Weekly Market Commentary
It was a hectic week on Wall Street as investors contended with heightened tensions in the Middle East, awaited the largest IPO in history, and received elevated...
Weekly Market Commentary
The S&P 500 was unable to make it a 10th straight week of gains as the market pulled back sharply late in the week amid a sense that the AI trade may have gone too...
Weekly Market Commentary
Global equity markets rallied in May and received a final boost in the final week of the month on optimism that the US and Iran were close to extending the current...
Weekly Market Commentary
Happy Memorial Day weekend, and thank you to all the brave men and women who have served our country to ensure our freedom. Markets took a step forward last week in...
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Does the Five-Year Holding Period Pertain to Me?: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst QUESTION: My wife (Keiko) currently does not take a required minimum distribution (RMD) on her retirement account because the plan allows...
What You Need to Know About the Still-Working Exception
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Tax rules require most retirement account owners who are subject to required minimum distributions (RMDs) to begin...
QCD Code Y: Optional Again in 2026
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst During our recent Ed Slott and Company’s Instant IRA Success workshop in Brooklyn, NY, we were presenting information about...
Can You Recharacterize a Roth Conversion to Avoid IRMAA?: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag Thursday, July 16, 2026
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Question: Hello, I’m married, filing jointly, and I have been converting my traditional IRA to Roth this year. If...
How Plan Loans Work
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst The June 15, 2026 Slott Report outlined the barriers preventing 401(k) and other plan participants from accessing their plan funds while...
The Ghost-Life Rule Explained
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education The SECURE Act of 2019 changed many rules for inherited IRAs. However, it left intact the rules for non-living...
The Pro-Rata Rule and the Still-Working Exception: Today’s Slott Report Mailbag
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst QUESTION: I just wanted to verify that a 403(b) plan is not subject to the pro-rata rule when doing a Roth IRA conversion. Can you...
Trump Accounts: Weird Stuff Keeps Happening
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst From its onset, I have been a fan of the concept of Trump accounts. Created by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), this new...
Treasury Announces Initial Trump Account Investment Options
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst On July 1, 2026, the Treasury Department announced the investment options for initial Trump account contributions. In the One Big...