This guest post was last updated on June 21, 2023, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.

A Donor Advised Fund (DAF) is like a charitable-giving savings account, helping you maximize your tax benefits while making a bigger impact on your favorite charitable causes.

This post was last updated on July 16, 2023, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.

Just because you’re retired, doesn't mean you can’t still have a little side hustle or create new goals. Passive income is a great way to generate a little extra income without feeling like you’re “coming out of retirement” so to speak.

Kansas City is one of the most interesting and fulfilling places to live in the country. There are three big reasons why you should consider staying in Kansas City for retirement – the people, lifestyle, and affordable health care. Sure, there are many other places in the country to retire to, but there really is something special about Kansas City.

Where you stay or move in retirement is critical to many aspects in retirement planning. Actually, many important decisions in retirement revolve around physical location. You and your financial advisor need to plan out taxes, housing rates, medical care, and so many other variables tied to where you live.

Long term financial planning is not an easy task. You have to consider a myriad of potential setbacks, changes and opportunities that will arise over an extended time period. It can be exhausting to map out your plans, but still more draining to do what you need to do when sticking to those plans. 

Fortunately, once your plans are set you can put them out of your mind unless there is a major life transition. It’s those transitions that are the hardest to plan for financially.

The budget. To many, it is simply known as the “b” word. The budget has turned into this scary thing that few people dare to discuss.

I’m not sure if it’s just overwhelming to think about tracking or if people fear seeing where they’re spending their money. Regardless of the reason, the budget is the foundation to anyone’s personal financial situation.

When discussing retirement planning, it’s crucial to prepare for the most significant expenses you’ll be facing. While you can control some of these, one cost that will only get higher is healthcare. Unfortunately, as you get older, your body will require more maintenance and upkeep, which can lead to more hospital visits, medications, and other treatments.  

To ensure that you’re ready for rising healthcare costs, we want to outline the best way to plan for them during retirement. Whether you’re going to retire in a few years or a few decades, it’s never too soon (or too late) to prepare. Here’s what you need to know. 

With student loan debt, it can seem like your payments will last forever. But, there are ways to make paying off your student loans much easier. Whether you’re in the thick of paying them off, considering taking out student loans, or somewhere in the middle, knowing the right strategies to use will save you a lot of money and stress when it comes to paying off your student loans faster.

As the second highest consumer debt, the average student loan balance tops $37,000 for the Class of 2016. If most of your paycheck goes to pay student loans because you haven’t yet met your earning potential, you can feel trapped.  There is hope, and you can get rid of your debt faster by upgrading your student loan repayment options.

Kansas City is full of activities for virtually anyone – especially retirees. There’s so much to do, you might even have a hard time fitting everything into your schedule!

From professional sports teams to outdoor activities to fine arts, there’s truly something for everyone. Kansas City also has a rich history worth exploring as well. We’re a little biased, but Kansas City is a great place to retire!

If you’re already using credit cards to make the majority of your purchases, you may be wondering if you’re getting the best rewards. With so many reward card options out there, it can be confusing trying to figure out which one you should use.

Before going further, a quick disclaimer: if you are in credit card debt, work on paying that off as quickly as possible. Don’t get new credit cards - in fact, just don’t use credit cards at all. Using credit cards can be a great way to earn rewards and get cash back but only if used responsibly.

We all love our retirement accounts. Saving for the future gives us something to look forward to and reminds us how our hard work will pay off down the road. 

A 401(k) is one of the most popular and common types of retirement plans we have access to today.. By diverting money from our paycheck into our 401(k), the goal is to save enough so that by the time we retire, we can live comfortably without a change in lifestyle.

This post was last updated on March 30, 2026, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.

Rising costs and running out of money are a huge worry for many retirees. However, moving forward, you may be eligible for a new “tax freeze” on your Missouri personal property bill. Every little bit helps!

For the recently widowed, there are many painful questions that have to be answered. Unfortunately, many of those questions are about money. When you should be focusing on family and saying goodbye, you instead have to deal with questions about loss of income and the decisions that need to be made. 

For widows and widowers approaching retirement, many of the money-related questions have to deal with Social Security. Because a spouse has spent his or her entire life working and paying into the system, it doesn’t seem right for it all to go to waste. Shouldn’t the widow be entitled to the Social Security benefits of the deceased?

President Trump signed into law the ‘Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement’ Act (SECURE Act) on December 20, 2019. It became effective on January 1, 2020. The SECURE Act is considered a part of the government’s spending bill and will affect retirement savers inevitably. 

The legislation puts into place several provisions that are designed to strengthen retirement security across the country. It also includes several common-sense reforms that are considered long overdue. These reforms are designed to make retirement more accessible and easier for many Americans.

Medicare is an important coverage that provides security to the majority of Americans. Medicare Open Enrollment is the time when you can change your Medicare coverage for the next year, and includes Part D prescription drug coverage. 

You may think that you know all about Medicare open enrollment because it happens every year. But this year is a little different from last year. Here are some ways to prepare for Medicare open enrollment for 2022 so you have a better idea of what to expect.

Earning a pension is a feat all to itself. Maintaining the security of your pension becomes even more important once you enter retirement. Luckily, there are programs like the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) looking out for your pension as well.

Although the name can be misleading, the PBGC is ran by the federal government to ensure retirement security for pensioners. There are laws governing what benefits you might receive if your covered pension fails. This could be another consideration for whether you should take a lump sum instead of a pension.

Saving for retirement is a big deal. The average American will spend nearly a million dollars between the time they retire and their death. Social Security payments won’t cover those expenses, so having savings and investments is essential. 

One of the most common retirement plans is the 401(k). It’s a benefit that some jobs offer. You and your employer generally get some sort of tax advantage, which makes it a popular choice.

What kind of legacy are you going to leave when you die? If you haven’t pondered that question yet, now is the perfect time to start. If you have money or any property that you want to pass on, it’s well past time to get a plan in place for when the inevitable happens. 

However, when it comes to estate and legacy planning, you will want to include your children in this process. It may be tempting to try and figure everything out on your own, but it’s often much better to keep them involved. 

This post was last updated on March 30, 2026, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 significantly changed our tax landscape. Most changes were temporary and set to expire or “sunset” at the end of 2025. However, this didn’t exactly happen.

This post was last updated on May 27, 2026, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.

Retiring in the United States can feel quite expensive. Whether you’re looking for adventure, a break from modern American political discourse, or just looking for a cheaper lifestyle, living overseas might fit the bill.

This post was last updated on May 26, 2026, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs.

The 401(k) retirement plan remains one of the best savings options for Americans. Both employees and employers contribute to an account which invests in mutual funds, index funds, or target-date funds, consisting of stocks, bonds, or both. Over time, the account can grow and provide you with a stream of income to last throughout retirement.