Andy | Saving to Invest

Why Is It Taking So Long to Get My Tax Refund? 2026 Delay Reasons and Real IRS Wait Times

The IRS says 9 out of 10 refunds go out within 21 days of an accepted e-filed return. But per the National Taxpayer Advocate's mid-year report to Congress (June 24, 2026), more than 14 million returns were suspended for further review this filing season. Over 1 million of those taxpayers…

AGI vs. MAGI: The Income Number That Actually Decides Your Roth IRA and ACA Subsidy Eligibility

Your gross income, your adjusted gross income (AGI), and your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) are three different numbers — and mixing them up is one of the most common ways people miscalculate their own eligibility for a Roth IRA, an IRA deduction, or an ACA health insurance subsidy. Gross…

2027 401(k), IRA & Roth IRA Limits: What’s Projected After 2026’s Increases

The IRS officially raised retirement plan contribution limits for 2026 in IRS Notice IR-2025-111, announced in November 2025. Most of the increases are driven by COLA adjustments under SECURE 2.0. Here's the full rundown of what changed and what it means for your retirement savings this year. 2026 401(k), 403(b),…

Buying a Used Car in 2026: What It Actually Costs and How to Get a Good Deal

The average used car sold for around $25,600 in mid-2026, according to used-vehicle price trackers. Some methodologies that weight more toward newer used inventory, like JD Power's, put it closer to $30,166. Either way, that's roughly half of what a new car costs today. Kelley Blue Book had the average…

College and University Tuition Rates in 2026-2027: What They Actually Cost After Financial Aid

Published tuition at public four-year, in-state schools hit $11,950 for the 2025-26 school year, up 2.9% from the year before. Private nonprofit four-year tuition climbed to $45,000, up 4.0% before adjusting for inflation. The 2027-28 FAFSA opens October 1, which is the real reason to pay attention to these numbers…

US Taxes on Foreign Income in 2026: Filing Requirements, Exclusions, and Deadlines

Living abroad doesn't get you out of filing a US tax return. As a US citizen or resident alien, you're required to report your worldwide income every year, no matter where you earned it or whether you already paid tax on it somewhere else. The good news is the IRS…

2026–2027 Catch-Up Contribution Limits: 401k, IRA, SIMPLE — Super Catch-Up and Roth Mandate Explained

Two major SECURE 2.0 changes took effect in 2026 that most people haven't fully absorbed yet. If you're between 60 and 63, your 401k catch-up limit jumped to $11,250 — significantly more than the $8,000 available to other workers over 50. And if you earned more than $150,000 last year,…

Choices for Your 401(k) When You Leave or Change Jobs: Cash Out, Roll Over, or Let Auto-Portability Handle It

One of the biggest hassles when changing jobs used to be around what to do with your old 401(k). It sat wherever you left it until you got around to dealing with it — or, if the balance was small enough, your former employer quietly cashed it out and mailed…

How to Pick the Right Tax Filing Status in 2026 (And Actually Lower Your Bill)

Your filing status is decided by one date: December 31. Whatever your marital and household situation looks like on that day determines which of the five IRS filing statuses you can use for the entire year, even if your situation changed on December 30. That single rule trips up more…

2026-2027 SIMPLE IRA Contribution Limits and Rules for Small Business Retirement Plans

The SIMPLE IRA (Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees) is one of the most practical retirement plan options for small businesses. For 2026, the contribution limit rises to $17,000, and the catch-up provisions got a meaningful boost under SECURE 2.0. These 2026 figures are confirmed in IRS Notice IR-2025-111. 2026…

How Much Can You Put in Your 401(k)? 2026–2027 Contribution Limits, Match, and Catch-Up Rules

The IRS set the 2026 employee 401(k) contribution limit at $24,500 — up $1,000 from $23,500 in 2025. If you're 50 or older, you can add another $8,000 in catch-up contributions for a total of $32,500. And if you're between 60 and 63, a SECURE 2.0 super catch-up provision lets…

Educator Expense Deduction 2026: $350 Above-the-Line, Plus a New OBBBA Itemized Break for Teachers

Eligible K-12 teachers and school staff can deduct up to $350 in unreimbursed classroom expenses on their 2026 tax return, up from $300 in 2025. It's a small bump, but it's not the real news this year. The bigger change is that the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB), passed in…

Best Time of Year to Buy a Car: End-of-Year Deals and Other Windows Dealers Don’t Advertise

Year-end is the best-known window for car deals, but it's not the only one. Dealerships have several points in their sales cycle where they're motivated to discount — knowing all of them, not just December, gives you more shots at a good price. Year-End: Still the Strongest Window The dealerships…

529 vs. Retirement: Why I Still Prioritize My 401(k) Over My Kid’s College Fund

The typical American thinks they need $1.46 million to retire comfortably — up $200,000 from just last year's estimate. Meanwhile, the average Gen X 401(k) balance sits at $222,100, and roughly 28% of Americans have nothing saved for retirement at all. Against that backdrop, I still tell parents the same…