Is the Retirement Literacy Foundation legitimate? Yes, and here is how to check it yourself.

The short answer

The Retirement Literacy Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity recognized by the Internal Revenue Service. Our Employer Identification Number is 41-5062266. The IRS determination letter is dated April 2, 2026, and our tax-exempt status is effective March 18, 2026.

We teach retirees the math behind Social Security, Medicare and retirement taxes. Everything we publish is free. We sell no financial products, accept no commissions and take no referral fees.

How to verify us in two minutes

1. IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Go to the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search and enter EIN 41-5062266 or the name "Retirement Literacy Foundation". The IRS lists organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
2. Independent charity databases. We are listed, from IRS records, on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, Candid (GuideStar) and Charity Navigator.
3. Ask for the determination letter. Email hans@retirementliteracyfoundation.org and we will send the IRS determination letter (Letter 947) the same day.
4. Ask for the governing documents. Our Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws and Conflict-of-Interest Policy are available on request.
5. Call us. 714-584-4921. A person answers or calls back.

The facts in one place

• Legal name: Retirement Literacy Foundation
• IRS status: 501(c)(3) public charity; determination letter dated April 2, 2026; exempt status effective March 18, 2026
• EIN: 41-5062266
• State: registered with the California Secretary of State; California Attorney General Registry of Charitable Trusts registration pending standard processing
• First Form 990 filing: the Form 990-N for fiscal year 2026 is due by May 15, 2027, and will be posted when filed
• Mailing address: 1401 21st Street, Suite R, Sacramento, CA 95811
• Founder and Executive Director: Hans Goldstein, unpaid; he draws no salary from the Foundation
• Funding: individual donors and the founder's personal contributions; no funding from insurance carriers, asset managers, brokerages or any financial-services company

What we do, and what we never do

We do: run free public workshops and online classes, publish free calculators for Social Security, Medicare IRMAA, Roth conversions and required distributions, and publish case studies that show the math.

We never: sell a financial product, accept a commission, take a referral fee, or ask for payment to attend a class. If you give us a phone number, we may call about your request; those calls are educational, and nothing is offered or sold.

About the founder

Hans Goldstein founded the Foundation and serves as its unpaid Executive Director. He draws no salary from the Foundation. The Foundation's work is independent of any outside professional activity, and under its Conflict-of-Interest Policy no director or officer may receive compensation from a financial-services company for referrals from the Foundation.

Why some automated "site checker" tools rate new websites low

Some websites publish automated trust scores for any domain name. Those scores are produced by software, weigh how recently a web address was registered, and are not a review by a person. Our web address is new, so a low automated score reflects its age, not our standing with the IRS. The IRS record above is the authoritative source for any charity.

More about us

About the Foundation · Free workshops · Medicare IRMAA statistics 2026 · Contact