Retirement-Planning Tool
You don’t have to be a customer to use TD Ameritrade’s free WealthRuler tool to create your own retirement action plan. Estimate the future value of your retirement savings and get ideas on planning strategies and steps you can take to make up for any shortfall.
Social Security Estimates
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In less than two minutes, you can calculate your future Social Security benefits based on your actual earnings records at www.Socialsecurity.gov/estimator.
Rate Your 401(k)
BrightScope rates your company 401(k) plan based on its investment choices and administrative costs, then compares it against similar plans. If you don’t see your employer listed, you can get your 401(k) plan rated for free by downloading publicly available documents.
Best Annuity Source
Find info on lifetime income. To provide income for life, more retirees are buying annuities. AnnuityShopper.com lists quotes for most of the top companies and shows how much you’d need to invest for a given stream of monthly income. You can also see how payouts compare for annuities that last for your lifetime only, your lifetime and that of a spouse, or for a certain number of years.
Best Reverse-Mortgage Tool
Squeeze cash from your home. Homeowners can calculate how much money they could get from a reverse mortgage in the form of a lump sum, monthly payment or line of credit at www.Goldengateway.com. The calculator also estimates the cost over the life of the loan.
Best State to Live in When You Retire
Low taxes make Delaware “first”. The First State is first-rate for tax-friendly treatment for retirees. There is no state sales tax, property taxes are generally low, and Social Security benefits are exempt from state income taxes. Plus, residents 60 and older can exclude up to $12,500 a year in retirement income and investment distributions from state taxes.
Best Place to Retire Abroad
If you have a sense of adventure, enjoy a tropical climate and want to stretch your dollars, consider retiring to Panama. You’ll pay no tax on your U.S. income (but you’ll still have to settle up with the IRS each year). If you buy a home, you’ll pay no property taxes for up to 20 years and can import up to $10,000 of household goods tax-free.
Best Retirement Pundit: Henry “Bud” Hebeler
There’s nothing slick or fancy about Hebeler’s Web site, but he will give you the unvarnished truth about how much you need to save and how much you can afford to spend in retirement. You can also e-mail Hebeler with personal questions.
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Six Missteps to Avoid as You Transition to RetirementDon't lose sight of your finances when you finally reach retirement. These six classic missteps can chip away at the nest egg you’ve worked so hard to build.
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Why Does One Claim Jack Up My Insurance After Years of No Claims?Even loyal customers can be hit with an insurance premium hike after a claim, despite going many years without any claims. There's a reason for that.
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457 Plan Contribution Limits for 2025Retirement plans There are higher 457 plan contribution limits for state and local government workers in 2025 than in 2024.
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Medicare Basics: 11 Things You Need to KnowMedicare There's Medicare Part A, Part B, Part D, Medigap plans, Medicare Advantage plans and so on. We sort out the confusion about signing up for Medicare — and much more.
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Six of the Worst Assets to Inheritinheritance Leaving these assets to your loved ones may be more trouble than it’s worth. Here's how to avoid adding to their grief after you're gone.
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SEP IRA Contribution Limits for 2024 and 2025SEP IRA A good option for small business owners, SEP IRAs allow individual annual contributions of as much as $69,000 in 2024 and $70,000 in 2025..
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Roth IRA Contribution Limits for 2024 and 2025Roth IRAs Roth IRA contribution limits have gone up. Here's what you need to know.
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SIMPLE IRA Contribution Limits for 2024 and 2025simple IRA The SIMPLE IRA contribution limit increased by $500 for 2025. Workers at small businesses can contribute up to $16,500 or $20,000 if 50 or over and $21,750 if 60-63.
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457 Contribution Limits for 2024
retirement plans State and local government workers can contribute more to their 457 plans in 2024 than in 2023.
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Roth 401(k) Contribution Limits for 2025retirement plans The Roth 401(k) contribution limit for 2024 is increasing, and workers who are 50 and older can save even more.
