Andy | Saving to Invest

ABLE Accounts 2026: Eligibility Just Expanded to 6 Million More Americans

If your disability started at age 30, 35, or 44, you likely couldn't open an ABLE account before this year. As of January 1, 2026, that's changed — the eligibility cutoff moved from disability onset before age 26 to before age 46, opening this tax-advantaged savings account to an estimated…

What’s New on Saving to Invest: September 2026 Roundup

With fall around the corner, summer in the rearview mirror, and a consequential midterm election just weeks away, there is a lot happening in money news. From essential tax, unemployment and social security benefit annual changes — here are some updates worth reviewing. Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefits by State: Washington…

Adoption Tax Credit 2026: Up to $17,670, and $5,120 of It Is Now Refundable

The adoption tax credit is worth up to $17,670 per child for 2026 — and a real chunk of it, up to $5,120, comes back to you even if your tax bill is already at zero. Refundability started with 2025 returns, and it changes who actually benefits from this credit.…

Military Pay Dates 2027: Every Active Duty, Retiree and Annuitant Payday

Active duty troops get paid twice a month in 2027: on the 1st and the 15th. When either date lands on a weekend or a federal holiday, the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) moves payday to the business day before, never after. That one rule explains every "early" paycheck…

VA Disability Payment Dates 2027: The Months With Two Deposits and the Months With None

VA disability compensation for any given month is paid on the first business day of the following month. When the 1st lands on a weekend or federal holiday, VA pays on the last business day of the month before instead. That rule is simple, but in 2027 it creates an…

The 20% QBI Deduction Is Now Permanent — Do Freelancers and Gig Workers Qualify?

If you freelance, drive for a rideshare app, or run any kind of side business as a sole proprietor, there's a decent chance you can deduct 20% of your business profit before you ever get to the standard or itemized deduction. It's called the Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction, and…

The 2027-28 FAFSA Opens October 1: What’s New and How to Get Ahead

The 2027-28 FAFSA opens to everyone on October 1, 2026, and it runs on your 2025 tax return. Beta testing for the form actually started August 5, 2026, but October 1 is when every family gets access. I went through what the Department of Education actually changed this cycle, and…

Medicare’s Prescription Payment Plan (M3P): Spreading Drug Costs Into Cheaper Monthly Installments

If a single prescription fill ever hit you with a $400 or $800 bill at the pharmacy counter, Medicare has a free option that turns that into a smaller monthly payment instead. It's called the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan — M3P for short — and a lot of people on…

2027 Medicare IRMAA Brackets: Will You Pay More for Part B and Part D?

If your income crosses one of six specific lines, Medicare charges you more — sometimes a lot more — for the exact same Part B and Part D coverage everyone else gets. That surcharge is called IRMAA, and I get more confused emails about it than almost any other Medicare…

Parent PLUS Loans Got Capped at $20,000 a Year — Here’s What Changed and What to Do Instead

Parent PLUS loans changed in a big way on July 1, 2026: parents can now borrow only $20,000 a year and $65,000 total per student, down from an effectively uncapped amount tied to the school's full cost of attendance. Grad PLUS loans disappeared entirely for anyone starting a new graduate…

The Social Security Fake Call Transfer Scam – How It Works and How to Shut It Down

If a caller says they're "transferring" you to Social Security, you're already talking to a scammer. No retailer, tech support line or other agency can route a call into SSA's phone system. SSA recently warned about this "fake call transfer" script, and it's one piece of a wider wave of…

Social Security’s Compassionate Allowances List Just Grew to 314 Conditions — Does Yours Qualify for Fast-Track Approval?

Social Security's Compassionate Allowances list grew to 314 conditions in August 2026, up from 300, after SSA added 14 diagnoses that qualify for near-automatic, fast-tracked disability approval. For someone with one of these conditions, the difference can be a decision in weeks instead of the months, sometimes years, a standard…

Medicare Open Enrollment 2027: Dates and When Plans Come Out

Medicare's open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, and whatever you pick takes effect January 1, 2027. The 2027 plans themselves show up earlier: insurers can publish their premiums, drug lists and networks starting October 1, so you can shop for two weeks before you…

Continuing Disability Review: What It Actually Means If SSA Is Checking Your SSDI or SSI Again

A Continuing Disability Review (CDR) is a routine, legally required check that you still meet SSA's medical definition of disability. For most people it ends with benefits continuing unchanged. A CDR letter is not an accusation, and it doesn't mean SSA thinks you were dishonest. Here's how often reviews happen,…