Andy | Saving to Invest

401(k) Loans vs. Hardship Withdrawals: What Changed Under SECURE 2.0 (2026 Guide)

If you're staring at your 401(k) balance wondering how to get at it before retirement, you've got three real options: a loan, a hardship withdrawal, or one of several penalty exceptions Congress has added over the years. They work very differently, and mixing them up is an expensive mistake. I…

Selling Your Home in 2026? The $250,000/$500,000 Tax Exclusion Hasn’t Moved Since 1997

If you sell your main home in 2026, you can still exclude up to $250,000 of gain from your taxable income if you're single, or $500,000 if you're married filing jointly. That number hasn't changed since the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 — nearly thirty years, no inflation adjustment, ever.…

2026–2027 Updates: Eight Things NOT to Do With Your 401(k) and IRA

Everyone who has a 401(k) or IRA has read the standard playbook: invest regularly, diversify, keep costs low. Good advice, all of it. But knowing what not to do is just as important — and some of the most expensive mistakes are the ones that feel reasonable in the moment.…

How to Save and Make Money With Credit Cards in 2026

Here's the rule that makes everything below actually work: pay your card in full every month. At an average APR above 21% in 2026, a single month of carried interest wipes out most of what a cash-back or rewards card can earn you. With that out of the way, here's…

When to Claim Social Security in 2026: The Real Math for Singles, Couples, and Late Filers

Claim Social Security at 62 and you lock in about 70% of your full benefit for life. Wait until 70, and you lock in 124% instead. That's the single biggest financial decision most retirees make, and unlike almost everything else in retirement planning, you don't get a do-over. I get…

TIPS in 2026 — Current Real Yields and Whether They Still Make Sense

10-year TIPS were yielding a real, after-inflation return of roughly 2.3% as of July 2026, according to Federal Reserve data. That's a genuinely positive real return — a different environment than 2020-2022, when TIPS yields were negative or barely positive. Here's how TIPS actually work, what today's yields mean in…

First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit — Is There One in 2026?

Short answer: there is no active federal first-time homebuyer tax credit for 2026. If you're searching for this because you've heard about a "$15,000 homebuyer credit," you're likely thinking of a proposal from the Biden administration's housing agenda that was floated but never passed Congress. It's not law today, though…

Getting a Free Copy of Your IRS Tax Return Information (Form 4506-T / IRS Tax Transcript)

When closing on my home a while back, I had to request a copy of my tax return. I assumed this would be a hassle since the requesting party wanted an official transcript, not just a copy from my tax software. It turned out to be a simple, free process…

Protecting Your Social Security Number From Identity Theft in 2026

Concern about Social Security number security tends to spike after news of a major data breach, and for good reason — your SSN is the master key that ties together your credit history, tax records, and government benefits. But the specific threat has changed over the years, and the protections…

How to Pay Off or Negotiate Down Credit Card Debt in 2026

The average American household carrying a credit card balance owes around $10,870 on it, at an average APR above 21%. That combination — a five-figure balance at a rate that's roughly triple a mortgage — is exactly why credit card debt deserves a real plan, not just "pay more than…

FHA vs. Conventional Loans in 2026: Down Payments, Mortgage Insurance, and Which Costs Less

The 2026 FHA loan limit just rose to $541,287 in most of the country, and conventional conforming loans now top out at $832,750. Beyond those limits, the core FHA-versus-conventional decision hasn't changed: it comes down to your down payment, your credit score, and how mortgage insurance is structured on each.…

Can’t Afford to Pay Your Taxes? Here’s What Actually Happens (and Your Options)

Owing more than you can pay is stressful, but the IRS has more structured ways to work with you than most people realize — and the single biggest mistake is letting the fear of the bill stop you from filing at all. Here's what actually happens when you can't pay…

How Your FICO Credit Score Actually Works in 2026 (and How to Raise It)

The average FICO Score in the US just dipped to 714, the second straight year it's fallen. At the same time, a record 48.1% of Americans now carry a score of 750 or higher. Credit is splitting into haves and have-nots, and where you land affects almost every rate you're…

10 Fast and Easy Ways to Get, Save and Make Money Now

Nowadays every extra dollar counts more than ever. Despite a paycheck from working a regular job, once taxes and other fixed expenses are accounted for, it is getting harder and harder to make ends meet. Since there are only twenty four hours in day, physically working more (provided you can…