Retirement is the single largest financial goal most Americans face — and the decisions you make about your 401(k), IRA, Social Security timing, and withdrawal strategy can mean hundreds of thousands of dollars in difference over your lifetime.
Your retirement planning path depends on where you are right now:
- Have an employer retirement plan? Start with our Complete 401(k) Guide — contribution limits, employer matching, rollovers, and the most common mistakes.
- Investing on your own? Our IRA & Roth IRA Guide covers Traditional vs. Roth, contribution limits, backdoor strategies, and conversion planning.
- Approaching retirement? The Retirement Planning Guide walks through withdrawal order, bucket strategies, income planning, and pre-retirement checklists.
- Nearing age 62+? Our Social Security Guide explains when to claim, spousal benefits, taxation, and how to maximize lifetime benefits.
- Age 73+? The RMD Guide covers required minimum distributions, calculation methods, and tax-reduction strategies.
- Pursuing early retirement? See the FIRE Guide for safe withdrawal rates, healthcare options, and the math behind financial independence.
| Key 2026 Retirement Numbers | Amount | Learn More |
|---|---|---|
| 401(k) employee contribution limit | $23,500 | Full limits → |
| 401(k) catch-up (age 50+) | $7,500 | Catch-up guide → |
| IRA contribution limit | $7,000 | IRA limits → |
| Roth IRA income limit (single) | $161,000 | Income limits → |
| Social Security full retirement age | 66–67 | Age chart → |
| RMD starting age | 73 (75 in 2033) | RMD guide → |
| Social Security COLA (2026) | 2.5% | COLA details → |
| Max Social Security benefit (age 70) | $4,873/mo | Max benefit → |
📖 Complete Retirement Guides
Complete 401(k) Guide
Contribution limits, employer matching, withdrawals, rollovers, and common mistakes.
IRA & Roth IRA Guide
Traditional vs. Roth, contribution and income limits, backdoor strategies, and conversions.
Social Security Guide
When to claim, spousal benefits, taxation, COLA adjustments, and payment schedules.
How Much to Retire?
Savings targets by age, the 4% rule, and scenarios from $500K to $5M.
Retirement Planning Guide
Withdrawal strategies, bucket approach, income planning, and retirement checklists.
FIRE Guide
Financial independence, safe withdrawal rates, FIRE variations, and early retirement healthcare.
Annuities Guide
Fixed vs. variable, immediate vs. deferred, and when annuities make sense.
RMD Guide
Required minimum distributions — age rules, calculations, and QCD strategies.
Retirement Calculators
Retirement Savings Calculator
Project your retirement nest egg based on contributions, returns & timeline.
Retirement Income Calculator
Estimate how much income your savings will generate in retirement.
401(k) Calculator
See how your 401(k) contributions and employer match will grow over time.
Roth IRA Calculator
Project your Roth IRA growth with tax-free compounding.
Social Security Calculator
Estimate your Social Security benefits based on earnings history and claiming age.
FIRE Calculator
Calculate your path to financial independence and early retirement.
Annuity Calculator
Estimate income from an annuity based on your investment and payout options.
RMD Calculator
Calculate your required minimum distributions from retirement accounts.
401(k) & Employer Plans
401(k) Contribution Limits
Current annual contribution limits, catch-up provisions, and employer match rules.
401(k) Early Withdrawal
Penalties, exceptions, and alternatives to cashing out your 401(k) early.
Traditional vs. Roth 401(k)
Compare pre-tax and after-tax 401(k) contributions to pick the right one.
How to Roll Over a 401(k)
Step-by-step guide to rolling over your 401(k) to an IRA or new employer.
Average 401(k) Balance by Age
How your 401(k) compares to the median and average by age group.
Average Employer Match
What the typical employer match looks like and how to maximize it.
Catch-Up Contributions
Extra contribution limits for workers 50 and older across all account types.
Solo 401(k) Guide
How self-employed individuals can save aggressively with a solo 401(k).
403(b) vs. 401(k)
Key differences between these employer-sponsored retirement plans.
457(b) Plan Guide
How government and non-profit 457(b) plans work and their unique advantages.
Pension vs. 401(k)
Comparing defined benefit pensions to defined contribution plans.
Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)
The federal employee retirement plan—funds, fees, and strategies.
Retirement Account Comparison
Side-by-side comparison of 401(k), IRA, Roth, SEP, SIMPLE, and more.
IRA & Roth IRA
Roth IRA Contribution Limits
Annual limits and how much you can contribute based on income.
Roth IRA Income Limits
MAGI thresholds that determine Roth IRA eligibility.
IRA Contribution Limits
Traditional and Roth IRA annual contribution limits and rules.
Roth IRA vs. Traditional IRA
Tax treatment, eligibility, and withdrawal differences compared.
Backdoor Roth IRA
How high earners can get money into a Roth IRA through the backdoor strategy.
Mega Backdoor Roth
Contribute up to $69,000/year to a Roth using after-tax 401(k) contributions.
Roth Conversion Ladder
A strategy for early retirees to access retirement funds penalty-free.
SEP IRA Contribution Limits
How much self-employed individuals can contribute to a SEP IRA.
SIMPLE IRA Guide
A retirement plan option for small businesses with 100 or fewer employees.
IRA Withdrawal Rules
Age rules, penalties, exceptions, and required minimum distributions.
Required Minimum Distributions
When RMDs start, how they're calculated, and strategies to minimize tax impact.
Social Security
Social Security Benefits
How benefits are calculated and what you can expect to receive.
When to Claim Social Security
The financial trade-offs of claiming at 62, full retirement age, or 70.
Spousal Benefits
How married couples can maximize Social Security with spousal benefits.
Social Security Tax Guide
When and how your Social Security benefits are taxed.
2026 COLA Adjustment
Projected cost-of-living adjustment for Social Security benefits.
Average Social Security by State
How average benefits vary across states and demographics.
FIRE & Early Retirement
FIRE Movement Guide
Financial Independence, Retire Early—principles, strategies, and variations.
The 4% Rule
How the 4% safe withdrawal rate works and when it doesn't.
FIRE Withdrawal Strategies
Dynamic withdrawal methods beyond the simple 4% rule.
Early Retirement Healthcare
Health insurance options for early retirees before Medicare kicks in at 65.
Can I Retire With…
$500K
Is half a million enough to retire? Scenarios and strategies.
$750K
Retirement income projections with $750,000 saved.
$1 Million
What a million-dollar retirement portfolio can realistically provide.
$1.5 Million
Income and lifestyle possibilities with $1.5M saved.
$2 Million
Is $2 million enough for a comfortable, worry-free retirement?
Retirement Savings Milestones
How Much Saved by 30
Benchmarks and strategies for retirement savings in your 20s and 30s.
How Much Saved by 40
Where you should be financially at 40 and how to catch up.
How Much Saved by 50
Retirement readiness benchmarks for your peak earning years.
How Much to Retire at 55
The savings target and strategies for early retirement at 55.
How Much to Retire
A comprehensive guide to calculating your retirement savings target.
Retirement Data & Resources
Average Retirement Savings
How much Americans have saved for retirement by age group.
Average Retirement Age
When Americans actually retire vs. when they plan to.
Best Places to Retire
Top cities and regions for retirees based on cost, climate & healthcare.
Best States for Retirees
State rankings based on taxes, cost of living, and retirement-friendliness.
Annuities Explained
Types, pros, cons, and when annuities make sense in a retirement plan.
Medicare Guide
Parts A, B, C, D—enrollment, costs, and supplemental coverage explained.
Military Retirement Guide
Blended Retirement System, TSP, and benefits for service members.
401(k) Rollover & Withdrawal
401(k) Rollover Guide
How to roll over your 401(k) to an IRA or new employer plan — rules, taxes, and step-by-step process.
401(k) Withdrawal Rules
Early withdrawal penalties, exceptions, Rule of 55, SEPP, and how taxes work on 401(k) distributions.
IRA & Roth IRA Hubs
Traditional IRA Guide
2026 contribution limits, deduction rules, income phaseouts, withdrawal rules, and best IRA accounts.
IRA vs. Roth IRA
Traditional vs. Roth — which is better for you? Contribution limits, conversions, and strategy.
Roth IRA Guide
2026 Roth IRA contribution and income limits, backdoor Roth, mega backdoor, and conversion ladder.
RMDs — Required Minimum Distributions
When RMDs start (age 73 in 2026), how to calculate them, which accounts require them, and penalties.
Gold IRA Guide
IRS rules for precious metal IRAs, eligible metals, custodians, fees, and tax treatment in 2026.
Retirement Planning & Income
Retirement Planning Guide
How much to save, retirement savings by age, when to start, and planning for retirement at any age.
Retirement Income Guide
How to turn savings into a sustainable paycheck for life — withdrawal strategies, buckets, and sequences.
Workplace Retirement Plans
403(b), 457(b), TSP, Solo 401(k), SEP-IRA, SIMPLE IRA — rules, limits, and comparison for 2026.
Annuities Guide
Fixed, variable, and indexed annuities explained — types, costs, pros, cons, and when they make sense.
FIRE, Medicare & Where to Retire
FIRE Guide
Financial Independence Retire Early — your FIRE number, the 4% rule, safe withdrawal rates, and variations.
Medicare Guide
Medicare Parts A, B, C, D, Medigap, Medicare Advantage, HSA rules, and enrollment in 2026.
Best Places to Retire
Top US states, cities, and international destinations ranked by taxes, cost of living, and climate.
Elder Care & Estate Planning
Elder Care Guide
Long-term care insurance, costs, helping aging parents, power of attorney, and Medicaid planning.
Estate Planning Guide
Wills, trusts, power of attorney, beneficiary designations, and end-of-life documents for every life stage.
The content on Wealthvieu is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, tax, or investment advice. Consult a qualified professional before making financial decisions. Full disclaimer · Editorial policy