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Here's your guide to the "free money" vs what will need to be paid back later

9 key takeaways on SECURE Act 2.0 1. Changing the age of the required minimum distributions. Three years ago, 1.0 increased the age for taking the required minimum distribution, or RMD, to 72 years from 70½. If you turn 72 this year, the age required for taking your RMD rises to 73 with 2.0.

Once the kids have finished college and (mostly) have their first career jobs, suddenly you and your partner may have more time to do things you’ve been wanting to do for years. It’s that dreamed of moment in your life when you are free of most childrearing responsibilities.1 Yet, it is also the time when parents are getting older, may have significant health issues, and may require more assistance with daily living. That wasn’t in the glossy brochures or on the retirement websites I’ve been looking at! And, eventually, you may need to figure out what needs to be done when a parent or loved one dies.

Older Americans are living longer than previous generations, reducing how much they can leave behind despite accumulated wealth and home equity. The average life expectancy in 2023 was 82.2 years for American women and 77.0 years for men.

When is a college out of your price range? Here's how to look at college in terms of a return on your investment.

You see, habits, both good and bad, over time, can have impact. Spending $15 a day on coffee, lunch, etc. each workday or putting $15 each workday day in savings can do two very different things (Interestingly, they both cost the same). If one spends $15 a day five days a week that equates to about $3,900 a year. If I told you to save $3,900 a year that might seem daunting but when we do those small steps, it's the compound effect in action. What could you do with an extra $3,900 a year? (Or even better, an extra $3,900 a year growing over the next 10 years.)1