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Free Retirement Guides

Plain-English answers to the money questions retirees actually ask, on Social Security, Medicare and IRMAA, taxes, RMDs, and retirement income. Every guide is free, no sign-up required, and pairs with a calculator so you can run your own numbers. Written by the Retirement Literacy Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Retirement Income

When to Enroll in MedicareThe seven-month window and the permanent late penalty. When to Claim Social Security: 62 vs 67 vs 70The break-even ages, and which argument applies to you. The Widow's Penalty Survival GuideWhat to do in the first three years after losing a spouse. How Much Social Security Will I Get?How the 35-year formula works and what changes your number. What Tax Rate Do You Pay on Social Security?85% taxable is not an 85% tax. See what you would actually pay. Is Social Security Taxable?A three-step check using your own numbers. Is Social Security Taxable in Your State?All 29 states, plus the federal tax that applies everywhere. What Is Provisional Income?The number that decides how much of your benefit is taxed. How to Reduce Taxes on Your Social SecurityFive levers that lower provisional income, and one that does not. Inherited IRA: Spouse vs Non-Spouse RulesA spouse can treat it as their own. Almost nobody else can. What Is a Beneficiary IRA?Same thing as an inherited IRA. Here is what the rules are. Spousal vs Survivor BenefitsUp to 50% while they live, up to 100% after. Different rules. How Much Income Does $250,000 Generate?Realistic monthly income from $250k, and what changes it. How Much Income Does $500,000 Generate?What a half-million can safely pay you each month in retirement. How Much Income Does $750,000 Generate?Turning $750k into a dependable retirement paycheck. How Much Income Does $1 Million Generate?The real monthly income a $1M nest egg produces. Pension: Lump Sum vs. Monthly PensionHow to weigh a one-time payout against guaranteed lifetime income. Turn Your 401(k) Into a Monthly PaycheckWays to build steady income from a lump sum.

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If “Free Retirement Guides” was useful, the same plain-English treatment of Social Security is yours free: the taxable-benefit thresholds, the survivor-benefit trap and the claiming-age math, in plain English. We’ll also let you know when the next free class is. Nothing to buy.

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Safe Money & Rates

How to Protect Savings From a Market CrashGuardrails so a downturn doesn't derail your retirement. Sequence of Returns Risk ExplainedWhy the order of returns early in retirement matters most.

Social Security

How Much of Your Social Security Is Taxable?Up to 85% can be taxed. Here's what drives the number. Should You Take Social Security at 62 or 70?The break-even math, and why waiting can add six figures. The Social Security Bridge StrategySpend other assets to delay and lock in a bigger check for life.

Taxes, RMDs & Medicare

How to Reduce Taxes on Your RMDsRoth conversions, QCDs, and timing that lower lifetime tax. The RMD Tax TorpedoHow required distributions can spike your taxes. What to Do With RMD Money You Don't NeedSmart moves for distributions you're forced to take. Inherited IRA: The 10-Year RuleThe SECURE Act trap for heirs, and how to soften it. How to Avoid IRMAAThe income cliffs that raise Medicare premiums, and how to dodge them. The Widow's Penalty TaxWhy a survivor often pays more tax on less income.

Calculators, Tables and Checklists

401(k) Withdrawal Tax CalculatorFederal and state tax, the 10% penalty and the 20% withholding on a withdrawal. Inherited IRA RMD CalculatorYour 10-year deadline, this year’s minimum and the tax. The 2026 RMD TableThe IRS Uniform Lifetime Table divisor for every age. Roth IRA Calculator2026 contribution limits and what tax-free growth adds up to. 2026 Medicare Premiums and IRMAA BracketsPart B and Part D surcharges at every income tier. The IRMAA Avoidance ChecklistStep-by-step ways to stay below the Medicare income cliffs. The 3.8% Net Investment Income TaxThresholds, what it hits, and why a big sale can trigger it. Delaware Statutory Trust ExplainedHow it works with a 1031 exchange, what it costs and the risks.

Selling a Business or Property: Tax Guides

Selling a BusinessCapital gains, asset vs stock sale and the installment sale. Selling a Dental, Medical or Veterinary PracticeGoodwill, equipment recapture and how the price is allocated. Selling a Home With a Large GainWhat happens above the $250,000 / $500,000 exclusion. Selling a Rental PropertyDepreciation recapture, capital gains and the deferral options. Selling Commercial Real EstateHow a $2M to $25M sale is taxed and what can defer it. Selling Company Stock or a Concentrated PositionCapital gains, QSBS and spreading the sale over years. Selling Inherited PropertyThe step-up in basis and when to sell. Selling Land or FarmlandCapital gains, the installment sale and 1031 rules for land. Big Sale Taxes: Free Zoom WorkshopRecapture, basis and debt at closing, explained in one free hour.

Local Retirement Planning Guides

Retirement Planning in Orange CountyRoth timing, Social Security and IRMAA for Orange County retirees. Retirement Planning in PasadenaRoth conversions, Social Security and taxes for Pasadena retirees.

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Hans Goldstein

Founder & Executive Director · Retirement Literacy Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit

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About 60 minutes on Zoom, free. How Social Security gets taxed, the IRMAA cliff, and the inherited-IRA 10-year rule.

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