by Kenny | Nov 14, 2026
WEEKLY MARKET REPORT · WEEK OF NOV 9–13, 2026 Stocks rally 2.5% for the week as the VIX falls, yet Treasury yields surge and tech slips Friday The week in brief The S&P 500 gained 2.51% for the week to 7,561.67, snapping a four-week losing streak, while the Nasdaq...
by Kenny | Nov 13, 2026
The water heater goes out on Monday. On Friday, your employer announces a cut in hours. Neither event was on your calendar, but both land in the same budget. In that moment, a financial plan has a practical job. It needs to tell you which bills come first, where the... by Kenny | Nov 12, 2026
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst QUESTION: I make a qualified charitable donation (QCD) to my local church on a monthly basis. I know that the receiving charitable organization must provide me with a written confirmation that no favors were given in return for my... by Kenny | Nov 11, 2026
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Thinking of opening up a new solo 401(k) plan for 2026? Fortunately, you won’t have to rush to get it done by the end of the year. A solo 401(k) is an excellent retirement savings vehicle for self-employed business owners with no... by Kenny | Nov 9, 2026
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Beneficiaries, including Roth IRA beneficiaries, are subject to required minimum distributions (RMDs). The SECURE Act and SECURE 2.0 have upended these rules and caused significant confusion. Now, many...
by Kenny | Nov 7, 2026
The week in brief U.S. stocks ended the week lower after a volatile stretch. The S&P 500 fell 2.68% to 7,376.86, the Nasdaq Composite fell 3.37% to 24,579.42, the Dow fell 0.94% to 51,285.73 and the Russell 2000 fell 2.05% to 2,754.11. The Dow jumped 1,569 points...
by Kenny | Nov 6, 2026
When people picture retirement, they tend to picture the good stuff. A trip they’ve been putting off. More time with the grandkids. A weekday tee time. But an ordinary Tuesday might tell you more about the retirement you’re planning for. Where will you wake up? How... by Kenny | Nov 5, 2026
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst QUESTION: My dad died in December 2025, at age 95. I am the sole beneficiary of his traditional IRA. I just discovered that he never took his required minimum distribution (RMD) for 2025. Will his estate be subject to a penalty? ANSWER:... by Kenny | Nov 4, 2026
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst In the October 26 Slott Report entry (“Beneficiary RMDs: Calculation Basics”), we discussed the required minimum distribution (RMD) calculation rules for non-spouse IRA beneficiaries. Spouses, on the other hand, are a special type... by Kenny | Nov 2, 2026
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst A recently announced IRS program gives you new ways to fix certain IRA errors. Unfortunately, it won’t be as helpful as it seems. In the 2022 SECURE 2.0 legislation, Congress gave the IRS two years – until December 29, 2024 – to come up...
by Kenny | Nov 1, 2026
U.S. stocks climbed through Wednesday, then gave it all back. The S&P 500 slipped 0.6% and the Nasdaq fell 2.0%, each for a third straight weekly decline, and the Dow lost 0.9%. Small caps held up, with the Russell 2000 up 1.3%. The turn came after Alphabet and...
by Kenny | Oct 30, 2026
You have estimated your monthly retirement income. You have added up the mortgage, groceries, utilities, and insurance premiums. The numbers appear to work. Then the air conditioner needs replacing. A dental bill arrives. Your vehicle becomes unreliable, or a family... by Kenny | Oct 29, 2026
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education QUESTION: I am age 84. My IRA beneficiaries are my two children (ages 52 and 56) and my grandchild (age 8). Who is a non-eligible designated beneficiary (NEDB) and who is an eligible designated beneficiary (EDB)?... by Kenny | Oct 28, 2026
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education Excess IRA contributions happen frequently and for a variety of reasons. Maybe your income ended up being higher than expected and you were ultimately ineligible for the Roth IRA contribution you made. Maybe you... by Kenny | Oct 26, 2026
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst Although many IRA owners are required to take required minimum distributions (RMDs), much confusion remains as to how the RMD is calculated. Factors include whether the original IRA owner reached his required beginning date (“RBD”...
by Kenny | Oct 25, 2026
It was another volatile week on Wall Street, with US indices ending the week with mixed results. Ongoing concerns about AI financing and its return on investment continued after Meta announced its 3rd-quarter results. The company beat estimates and offered solid... by Kenny | Oct 22, 2026
By Andy Ives, CFP®, AIF® IRA Analyst QUESTION: I have a question regarding joint health savings accounts (HSAs). What happens if an HSA is shared with a spouse who is not yet eligible for Medicare? Can that spouse continue to contribute if they remain enrolled in a...
by Kenny | Oct 22, 2026
Building financial security takes years of effort. You save, manage expenses, pay down debt, and make decisions with the future in mind. Each step helps create more options for yourself and the people you love. But there is another question worth asking: How would... by Kenny | Oct 21, 2026
By Ian Berger, JD IRA Analyst Many of you are probably aware of the 60-day rollover deadline and the once-per-year rollover rule. But there’s a third IRA rollover restriction you may be less familiar with: the “same-property rule.” The same-property rule is the Rodney... by Kenny | Oct 19, 2026
By Sarah Brenner, JD Director of Retirement Education The unfortunate reality for many Americans is that medical expenses will be a large part of their expected budget in retirement years. Health Savings Accounts (HSA), which continue to grow both in numbers and in... 
WEEKLY MARKET REPORT · WEEK OF NOV 9–13, 2026 Stocks rally 2.5% for the week as the VIX falls, yet… Read more: Weekly Market Commentary
