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Canal lock with water spilling over the wooden gates from the higher level to the lower, a metaphor for moving retirement savings from a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA

Posted inin Retirement

Roth Conversion Rules for 2026: How It Works, What It Costs and Whether to Convert Before December 31

November 12, 2026
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11 min

How a Roth conversion works in 2026: the IRS rules, what it really costs with worked bracket examples, the five-year and pro-rata traps, Medicare and Social Security side effects, and a checklist for converting before December 31. Educational, not tax advice.

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11 min

Dense school of silver fish in deep blue water with a few turning their own way, a metaphor for the inverse Cramer idea of betting against the crowd

Posted inin Investing

Inverse Cramer Explained: Does Betting Against Jim Cramer Actually Work?

November 11, 2026
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10 min

"Inverse Cramer" says to do the opposite of Jim Cramer's stock picks. We checked the research, the Bear Stearns call and the short-lived Inverse Cramer ETF (SJIM) to see whether betting against him works, and what to do instead. Educational, not advice.

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10 min

Sunlit layered sandstone rock formation with bands of red and cream, a metaphor for how 2027 federal tax brackets stack

Posted inin Managing Money

2027 Tax Brackets: The New IRS Income Tax Rates, Standard Deduction and What They Mean for Your Paycheck

November 10, 2026
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9 min

The IRS's official 2027 federal income tax brackets for every filing status, the new standard deduction, what changed from 2026, and five worked examples, including retirees. Educational, not tax advice.

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9 min

Glass crystal ball resting on moss with an upside-down reflection of the forest, a metaphor for market predictions that look clear and still miss

Posted inin Investing

Michael Burry Predictions Track Record: How Accurate Are His Calls Since 2017?

November 9, 2026
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11 min

A scored look at Michael Burry's public predictions since 2017: what he got wrong, the inflation call he got right, and how to read his Nvidia/Palantir AI shorts. Educational, not advice. Refreshed November 2026.

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11 min

An empty escalator rising upward, a metaphor for the 2027 Social Security COLA lifting benefits to keep pace with prices

Posted inin Retirement

Social Security COLA 2027: Your 3.6% Raise, What It Means for Your Check and What to Do Next

November 6, 2026
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10 min

The 2027 Social Security COLA is 3.6%. What it adds to your check ($2,095 to $2,170 for the average retiree), how SSA calculates it from CPI-W, what Medicare Part B and taxes take back, the 2027 earnings test and taxable maximum, and the exact Dec 31 / January payment dates.

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10 min

Steep stone staircase climbing a green hillside, a metaphor for how hard the first $100K is to save

Posted inin Managing Money

Why Your First $100K Is the Hardest (and How Long It Really Takes to Get There)

November 3, 2026
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11 min

Charlie Munger said the first $100,000 is the hard part, and the math backs him up. See how long $100K really takes at different savings levels, why compounding barely helps at first, what counts toward the goal and 9 ways to get there faster. Educational, not advice.

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11 min

Gravel forest path splitting into two directions under golden autumn trees, a metaphor for choosing between an HSA and an FSA

Posted inin Retirement

HSA vs FSA in 2026: Which Health Account Should You Choose (and Can You Have Both)?

November 2, 2026
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13 min

HSA vs FSA for 2026: who qualifies, the IRS limits ($4,400/$8,750 HSA, $3,400 health FSA, $680 carryover, $7,500 dependent care FSA), what happens to unused money, the tax math, how to have both with a limited-purpose FSA, and how to choose at open enrollment.

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13 min

Golden honeycomb filled with honey, a metaphor for dividend stocks that keep paying income

Posted inin Book Reviews

13 Best Dividend Investing Books in 2026: A Reading List for Every Level

October 30, 2026
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15 min

Our updated list of the 13 best dividend investing books: Carlson, Lichtenfeld (3rd ed), Carrel, McIntosh, Miller, Klugman, Peters, Weiss & Lowe, Wright, Peris, Siegel, Faber and Graham (3rd ed). For each book you get who it suits, the core method, the order to read them in, and the dividend basics they assume. Educational, not advice.

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15 min

Red apples and pears on a stack of old hardcover books, representing the lessons in Andrew Hallam's Millionaire Teacher

Posted inin Book Reviews

Millionaire Teacher Review: Andrew Hallam’s 9 Rules of Wealth, Explained for US Investors

October 28, 2026
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13 min

An updated review of Andrew Hallam's Millionaire Teacher. It covers the actual nine rules from the second edition (and how they differ from the 2011 original), who Hallam is, what still works for US investors using a 401(k), an IRA and index funds, what has aged, and who should read it. General education, not investment advice.

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13 min

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