For 2026 our Plan G Medigap premiums increased about 14% to $311.03 and $324.86. Our Part D premiums increased from $18.00 to $72.30 per month. And, the standard Part B premiums increased to $202.90.
These premiums total $1,186.29 per month for both of us,  $14,235 a year. IRMAA adds several hundred dollars more per person, per month. 
Even ignoring IRMAA, the basic premiums – unrelated to income – can be a hefty hit to income for retirees, 

When I sold my business and retired last year, I decided to keep two years of expenses in cash to avoid thinking about portfolio withdrawals immediately. I’ve worked through most of the first year’s buffer, and with recent strong equity returns, I’ve moved some gains into a money market fund to replenish my cash reserves.
Since this cash is earmarked for spending 24 months from now, I was initially planning to just leave it sitting in the money market fund—rates are still around 4% at the moment.

In a recent post, “lost decade” investment periods were mentioned. Looking at safe withdrawal rates, there is an assumption of portfolio continuity.   Uniform returns over a long period of time coupled with consistent withdrawals.    In such an environment, a portfolio which yields 6% annually can sustain a withdrawal rate that begins at 4% and the portfolio will increase in value.  But over 30 years it may decrease in purchasing power.  [1]
But what if a “Lost Decade” occurs? 

The  recent discussion about withdrawal rates – 4% and all  that – got me thinking about the importance and confusion surrounding that decision.  I don’t  personally have to deal with it and gladly so because I’m sure I would not handle it well. My withdrawals are those required by RMDs. 
The current RMD table is based on the 2012 Individual Annuity Mortality (IAM). The table is more generous than a “single life” actuarial table. It is calculated using the Joint Life and Last Survivor expectancy for an individual and a hypothetical beneficiary who is exactly 10 years younger.

“The riskiness of an investment is not measured by beta but rather by the probability—the reasoned probability—of that investment causing its owner a loss of purchasing-power over his contemplated holding period. Assets can fluctuate greatly in price and not be risky as long as they are reasonably certain to deliver increased purchasing power over their holding period. And a non-fluctuating asset can be laden with risk.” — Warren Buffett, in his 2011 Berkshire Hathaway shareholder letter.

I just responded to a post by norm60189. He mentioned that Jack Bogle popularized index funds. My post got me thinking about my favorite Bogle quotes. Here are three, with my interpretation of the saying.
“Don’t look for the needle in the haystack. Just buy the haystack!”
Research has shown that annually the majority of active managers do not eat the market. As a result investors are better off not trying to pick individual stocks but buying broad market indexes.

Jack Bogle is frequently quoted. Jack was the founder and chief executive of The Vanguard Group and is credited with popularizing the index fund.
Here’s one of my favorite Bogle quotes:
“The stock market is a giant distraction from the business of investing”.
Warren Buffett is also often quoted.  Because Mr. Buffett purchased individual stocks, it was possible to observe how he approached investing as a business.  For example, Buffett eschewed tech stocks, yet had a large stake in Apple.

I consider myself a pretty ordinary guy living a normal, down-to-earth life. If you ever had the misfortune to meet me, you’d quickly realize there are no airs and graces about me. With that mental image in mind, you might understand my surprise when a fellow retiree I play sport with came out with: “how the other half live” after I mentioned booking a short break at a nice coastal hotel for me and my wife Suzie later in January.

Would love some insight/suggestions/experience from this well versed and knowledgeable group.
My husband has two tax deferred accounts that have a substantial balance and that he needs to rollover into an IRA now that he is fully retired. We currently have brokerage accounts at Schwab and Vanguard and I am torn between rolling over these 2 accounts fully into one of these two brokerage houses. I like having both accounts so I don’t see closing one but want to make one our primary account.

As many firms and advisors are now focusing more on Foreign market emphasis I am curious what others have allocated.  We have generally been 47-50% domestic equity, 38-35% foreign equity, including about 5%+ in Emerging Markets and the remaining 15% in bonds for the past 5 years.  The higher foreign exposure was a little drag in the past however is boosting returns currently.
Curious of others opinion on international is, we don’t make big swings but stay within a general range.  

An article in Commonweal Magazine is a bit unkind to 401k plans from the interesting perspective that asking people to save on their own takes away from other uses.
“But there’s increasing evidence that our current approach is not only economically inefficient but also a key contributor to the precarity and isolation unraveling the social fabric. “
“What was once a balanced system of collective and individual support has come to rely on a single,

I have recently paid attention to calls for help by retirees seeking ways to support a needy child who is, for medical or mental reason, unable to manage to live independently without ongoing financial support. I resonate with such worry, which mirrors mine.

Naturally, I keep a warm heart for all my extended family members despite occasional differential preferences for some over others. My children, nieces and nephews follow the current US economy into a K-shaped future: some with up-sloping prospects,

WHAT WAS THE road to outstanding investment performance in 2025? For the first time in a long time, it wasn’t Apple, Amazon or Nvidia. It was gold. Delivering its best performance in 45 years, gold rose nearly 65%. Despite these impressive gains, however, I still don’t see gold as a great investment. 
Why not?
The most fundamental problem, in my view, is that gold lacks intrinsic value. Unlike traditional investments such as stocks, bonds and real estate,

MANY PEOPLE FOCUS on building wealth through asset allocation and investment choices. Far fewer think about asset protection. In my opinion, protecting wealth is just as important as building it, especially since decades of disciplined saving and investing can be undone in one unfortunate event.
In this article, I wanted to discuss some of the strategies and tips that I’ve learned, and implemented in my personal finance journey.
Quick disclaimer: I’m not a lawyer,

I’ve been thinking of writing this post for a while, and my early morning scroll through recent Forum posts finally pushed me to it. When I author a post, I try to go back to it every so often and reply to comments. That was something Jonathan hoped for from the authors he published. In going through the thread of a post I made a few days ago, I noticed that one or two people had systematically downvoted every comment I made,