Informational purposes only, not financial advice — always do your own research. See our full legal disclosure for details.

Retirement Planning: 401(k)s, IRAs, Annuities and More

The earlier you plan, the more freedom you have later. Learn how to save for retirement, choose the right accounts and turn your savings into reliable income.

Five Pillars of a Secure Retirement

401(k) Plans

Your employer’s plan may be your most powerful tool. Understand 401(k) plans and the match you could be missing.

Annuities

Turn savings into guaranteed income with annuities.

IRAs (Roth & Traditional)

Choose between tax-free growth and a tax break today with Roth and traditional IRAs.

Retirement Calculators

Find out how much you need with our retirement calculators.

Social Security

Know when and how to claim your Social Security benefits.

Learn, Compare and Get Inspired

Each category follows the same three steps. A detailed guide explains the legal, tax and practical rules in plain English. A comparison article then lists current options side by side. Finally, six real people share their stories: their situations, their problems and why they chose each approach.

Browse all retirement articles below.

  • Social Security Calculators: Which to Use

    By Jozsef Huszar • Updated: October 25, 2026 Two Social Security calculators can give you two very different monthly numbers, because they start from different data. We compared eight estimating tools: six from the Social Security Administration (SSA), one from AARP and one from NerdWallet. Our research date is October 25, 2026. The details come…

  • 401(k) Plan Comparison: Providers, Fees and Features

    By Jozsef Huszar • Updated: October 25, 2026 Choosing where your 401(k) lives sounds simple until you learn that most of the price tag is set by your employer, not the provider. This 401(k) plan comparison looks at seven names you will meet: Fidelity, Vanguard, Empower, Charles Schwab, T. Rowe Price, Gusto and BlackRock. We…

  • Annuity Comparison: Rates, Fees and Terms Side by Side

    By Jozsef Huszar • Updated: October 25, 2026 Annuity marketing is full of big promises and small print. This annuity comparison puts six providers side by side using the numbers in their own documents: multi-year guaranteed rates, income annuity features, surrender charges and what leaving early costs. We checked fixed deferred annuities, immediate income annuities…

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This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. We may receive compensation from our partners when you click on links or apply for products featured here; this does not influence our editorial opinions or ratings. For complete terms, see our full legal disclosure.