#retirement-savings
Retirement Savings
Track retirement savings and investment growth
Your Business Is Not a Retirement Plan: Why 34% of Owners Save Nothing and How to Fix It in 2026
34% of U.S. small business owners have no retirement plan, and more than 80% of a typical owner's net worth sits inside the business. This guide compares the SEP IRA, Solo 401(k), and SIMPLE IRA at 2026 limits ($72,000, $24,500 deferral, $17,000), explains the SECURE 2.0 credits worth up to $5,000 a year for three years, and gives a five-step plan to start saving this quarter.
The IRA Contribution Limit Hits $7,500 for 2026: Your Freelancer and Small-Business Owner's Guide to the First Big Increase in Years
The IRA contribution limit rises to $7,500 for 2026 — the first base increase since 2023 — plus a new $1,100 catch-up at 50+. Learn who qualifies, how it stacks with Solo 401(k) and SEP, and how freelancers can capture the extra room before April 15, 2027.
401(k) Alternative Investments Are Coming: What the DOL Safe Harbor and Trump Executive Order Mean for Your Plan
Executive Order Aug 7 2025 and DOL March 30 2026 safe harbor would let 401(k) plans add private equity, crypto and real assets — risks, fees, and fiduciary checklist.
New Roth Catch-Up Rule in 2026: High Earners Over $145K Must Use Roth 401(k) for Catch-Ups
From 2026, catch-up contributions for 50+ workers earning >$145K–$150K prior-year FICA wages must be Roth — $8,000 regular or $11,250 super catch-up (60–63). What payroll must do.
Reducing RMDs With QCDs in 2026: How a $111,000 Charitable Distribution Lowers Your Required Minimum
QCDs up to $111,000 in 2026 let IRA owners 70½+ give directly to charity, satisfy RMDs, and exclude the distribution from income.
TrumpIRA.gov and the Federal Saver's Match: What Self-Employed Workers Should Know Before 2027
TrumpIRA.gov, a Treasury-run IRA marketplace launching January 1, 2027, will list providers capped at a 0.15% expense ratio with no account minimums and connect eligible savers to a Federal Saver's Match of up to $1,000 a year — a 50% match on the first $2,000 contributed. Here is how it fits alongside a SEP-IRA or Solo 401(k), and why accurate books determine the contribution you can actually make.
Solo 401(k) for Self-Employed Owners in 2026: How to Actually Max It Out
In 2026 a Solo 401(k) lets a self-employed owner shelter up to $72,000 ($83,250 with the ages 60–63 super catch-up) across a $24,500 employee deferral and a 25%-of-compensation employer contribution. This guide covers the two-bucket math, the new mandatory Roth catch-up for W-2 wages over $145,000, first-year vs. ongoing deadlines, and the $250,000 Form 5500-EZ filing trigger.
The Mega Backdoor Roth for the Self-Employed: How a Solo 401(k) Reaches $72,000 in 2026
A Solo 401(k) with voluntary after-tax contributions lets self-employed owners shelter up to $72,000 in 2026 — or $83,250 with the age-60-to-63 catch-up — by converting after-tax dollars to Roth with no income limits. Here's how the three contribution buckets work, a worked example at $150,000 of net earnings, and what your plan document must allow.
Sequence-of-Returns Risk: Why the Order of Market Returns Can Make or Break Your Retirement
Two retirees with identical average returns can end up decades apart in portfolio longevity — the order of returns decides it. How sequence-of-returns risk works, why the ten-year retirement risk zone hits business owners and freelancers hardest, and five defenses including cash buffers, bucket strategies, bond tents, and spending guardrails.
DOL FAB 2026-01: What EBSA's Duty-of-Loyalty Enforcement Shift Means for Small 401(k) Plan Sponsors
EBSA's Field Assistance Bulletin 2026-01 prioritizes duty-of-loyalty and prohibited-transaction cases over process-based prudence claims, and caps routine ERISA investigations at 18 months (30 for complex ones). Here's what small-business 401(k) sponsors should document to stay protected.
Massachusetts Secure Choice: What the Mandatory Retirement Savings Bill Means for Small Businesses
Massachusetts's House passed the Secure Choice Savings Program 148-2 on July 8, 2026, mandating auto-enrollment Roth IRAs for employers with 25+ workers — 6% default contributions, $250-per-employee penalties, and a qualifying-plan exemption small businesses can use to opt out entirely.
QLACs in 2026: How the $210,000 Qualifying Longevity Annuity Contract Limit Shrinks Your RMDs
A QLAC lets you move up to $210,000 — the 2026 SECURE 2.0 lifetime limit — from a traditional IRA, SEP-IRA, or 401(k) into a deferred annuity the IRS excludes from RMD calculations until payments start, as late as age 85. Here are the rules, a worked example, and the break-even math showing when to skip it.