Retirement, rollovers and hard assets — worked out in numbers
In-depth guides on 401(k) benchmarks, withdrawal sequencing, Roth strategy and precious-metal rollovers. Every claim is tied to a figure you can reproduce in our calculators.
Gold IRA & Precious-Metal Rollovers
401(k) to Gold IRA Rollover: IRS Rules, Costs, and What to Avoid
Purity standards, approved depositories and why home-storage schemes turn the whole account taxable.
Gold IRA Fees and Red Flags: What to Demand in Writing
Custodian, storage, insurance and the dealer spread that costs you before the market moves — plus the sales tactics that signal trouble.
Best States for a Gold IRA in 2026: Tax, Storage, and Legal Shield
No-income-tax states, sound-money sales-tax exemptions and creditor protection compared in one combined ranking.
How Can I Transfer My 401k to Gold Without Penalty?
One wrong instruction costs 20% in withholding. The four-phase direct trustee protocol, purity rules and real depository costs.
Gold IRA vs Physical Gold: Which Investment Is Right for You?
A 28% collectibles tax on one side, flat custodial fees on the other. Where the break-even balance sits and which structure fits your goal.
How Can You Invest in Precious Metals With a 401(k) Account?
Company plans block physical bullion. The three paper routes inside your plan, and the self-directed rollover that buys real metal.
Contributions, Limits & Roth Strategy
401(k) Contribution Limits 2026: Every Number You Need
Base deferral, catch-up, the 60–63 super catch-up and the $72,000 overall cap, with how multiple plans interact.
Mandatory Roth Catch-Up 2026: What High Earners Must Know
Who loses the pre-tax catch-up option, what happens if your plan has no Roth feature, and the tax impact.
Mega Backdoor Roth 2026: How to Put $47,500 Into Roth
How after-tax contributions fill the gap up to the total limit, the two plan features you need and the convert-early rule.
Roth Conversions 2026: Brackets, IRMAA Cliffs, and the RMD-First Rule
Where to stop converting, how a conversion can raise Medicare premiums two years later, and the pro-rata trap.
Roth 401(k) RMDs Eliminated: What SECURE 2.0 Changed
Why staying in the plan now works, the five-year clock at rollover and the new estate-planning angle.
What Is the Dave Ramsey Roth 401k Recommendation for Building Wealth?
Match beats Roth beats traditional. A full breakdown of the 15% rule, the four fund categories, and the seed-versus-harvest tax math.
What Are the Fidelity Savings Benchmarks for Turning Fifty?
Fidelity says six times your salary by fifty. Here is how far the typical household really is, and the catch-up tools that close the gap.
Withdrawals & Retirement Income
401(k) Early Withdrawal Penalty: 14 Exceptions and the 72(t) Rule
The real combined hit before 59½, every penalty exception, the age-55 rule and when a loan is the better move.
Spend Down Your 401(k) Before Social Security: The Tax Case
Using the gap years before benefits to draw pre-tax money at a low bracket and defuse the RMD tax collision.
What Is the Smartest Strategy for Living Off 401k Before Social Security?
Draining personal accounts first buys a permanently larger federal check. The math, the break-even age, and the cash buffer that protects it.
Start with the calculator
Project your retirement balance, employer match and tax outcome before you change a single contribution setting.
Educational information only. 401k Decisions is not a licensed investment adviser, broker-dealer, tax adviser or law firm. Verify current contribution limits and tax thresholds with the IRS or a qualified professional before acting.