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Annuity Sales Hit a New Record: What It Signals
- January 23, 2026
- Posted by: August
- Categories: Retirement Income, Retirement Insights
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Annuity sales can serve as a practical “signal” for what retirees are prioritizing—especially when the market and inflation environment makes predictable retirement income more valuable. LIMRA reported that total U.S. annuity sales reached a new quarterly record in Q3 2025, surpassing $120 billion for the first time. While sales numbers alone do not determine what is right for any one household, they do highlight broader themes: demand for income stability, interest in risk-managed growth structures, and a continued focus on retirement income planning that can hold up across volatility. This post explains what the record tells us (and what it doesn’t), why retirees care about guaranteed-income interest, and the practical questions to ask when evaluating retirement income needs.
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Working While on Social Security in 2026: New Limits
- January 9, 2026
- Posted by: August
- Category: Social Security
Many retirees work part-time, consult, or keep earning income while receiving Social Security. The important detail is that Social Security’s “earnings test” can temporarily withhold benefits if you are below full retirement age and your earnings exceed certain thresholds. For 2026, SSA published updated exempt amounts that determine when benefit withholding may apply. This does not mean you “lose” your benefits permanently—but it can change monthly cash flow and create confusion if you are not expecting it. This post outlines the 2026 earnings-test limits, explains how the withholding rules work in plain English, and gives a simple checklist for retirees who want to work while keeping benefit surprises to a minimum.
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Why Retirement Anxiety Is Rising and What Planning Can Do
- November 21, 2025
- Posted by: August
- Category: Retirement Insights
Retirement confidence is under pressure—and the concerns are increasingly emotional as well as financial. Allianz Life’s 2025 Annual Retirement Study reports that many Americans worry more about running out of money than death, reflecting how inflation, uncertainty, and long retirements can strain planning assumptions. The findings underscore a key shift: retirement planning isn’t only about “having enough,” but about having a structure for income that can hold up through market changes, rising expenses, and longer lifespans. For households approaching retirement, the most practical response is not panic—it’s clarity: identify income sources, stress-test how withdrawals behave in down markets, and build a plan designed to stay consistent year-to-year.
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Morningstar: HSAs and Retirement Healthcare Costs
- November 7, 2025
- Posted by: August
- Category: Retirement Insights
Morningstar’s 2025 HSA Landscape report reinforces a planning reality many retirees discover late: healthcare costs don’t behave like a one-time expense—they recur, fluctuate, and often rise over time. The report highlights continued growth in HSAs and evaluates leading providers, showing meaningful differences in transparency, usability, fees, and investing access. For long-range planning, the key takeaway is that an HSA isn’t just “a place to pay bills.” How the account is structured—and where it’s held—can impact flexibility and net results. For households thinking about retirement income durability, a well-run HSA can function as a dedicated resource for future medical spending, helping reduce pressure on other income sources later.
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A Key Retirement Cost: Fidelity’s 2025 Healthcare Estimate
- October 31, 2025
- Posted by: August
- Categories: Healthcare & Medicare, Retirement Insights
Healthcare expenses remain one of the most underestimated variables in retirement planning, and Fidelity’s 2025 Retiree Health Care Cost Estimate puts a clearer number behind that risk. The estimate suggests a 65-year-old retiring in 2025 could spend $172,500 over retirement on healthcare and medical expenses, reflecting a continued upward trend. The release also points to a planning gap: many Americans have not meaningfully considered healthcare needs when preparing for retirement. Fidelity highlights how Medicare-related costs and out-of-pocket expenses can add up over time, and notes that Health Savings Accounts may play a larger role when used strategically and understood as part of long-term readiness.
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Vanguard’s 2025 Retirement Outlook Highlights Evolving Income Challenges
- October 24, 2025
- Posted by: August
- Category: Retirement Insights
Rising costs, longer life expectancies, and changing work patterns continue to reshape how Americans think about retirement. Vanguard’s 2025 Retirement Outlook highlights how these forces are influencing savings behavior, income expectations, and long-term confidence. The report emphasizes that while participation in retirement plans remains strong, many individuals are uncertain about how future income will align with spending needs over time. Inflation, healthcare expenses, and market variability are cited as ongoing concerns, particularly for those approaching retirement. Together, these findings reinforce the growing importance of understanding how retirement income sources work together across different stages of retirement.
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BlackRock Survey Reveals Widening Confidence Gap in Retirement Preparedness
- October 17, 2025
- Posted by: August
- Category: Retirement Insights
BlackRock’s 2025 Read on Retirement® survey highlights a growing disconnect between how confident workplace savers feel about their retirement preparedness and how employers view those same outcomes. While many individuals report feeling on track, plan sponsors express significantly lower confidence, pointing to a widening perception gap. Ongoing inflation, market volatility, and shifting savings behavior continue to shape retirement expectations. These findings underscore the complexity of retirement confidence today and why clarity around income stability and long-term planning remains critical.
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Edward Jones Study Finds Clients More Concerned About Market Volatility
- October 10, 2025
- Posted by: August
- Category: Retirement Insights
Periods of heightened market volatility can create real stress for households—especially when retirement timing and income decisions feel close at hand. A July 2025 Edward Jones study conducted with Cerulli Associates suggests financial advisors are hearing more concern from clients today about market volatility and retirement planning than they did five years ago. At the same time, many advisors report they are generally not recommending major plan changes in response to headlines or short-term uncertainty, reinforcing the value of staying focused on long-term goals. The findings also point to the growing role of financial planning in advisory practices as clients seek clarity amid shifting markets and ongoing wealth transfer conversations.
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What Schwab’s 2025 Modern Wealth Survey Reveals About Financial Comfort
- October 3, 2025
- Posted by: August
- Category: Retirement Insights
Rising living costs are reshaping how Americans think about financial comfort and long-term security. Schwab’s 2025 Modern Wealth Survey shows that many households believe it now takes more money to feel financially comfortable than it did a year ago. At the same time, definitions of wealth are shifting away from net worth alone and toward stability, flexibility, and peace of mind. These findings highlight why financial confidence increasingly depends on clarity and planning rather than account balances alone, particularly in an environment shaped by inflation and economic uncertainty.
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