Money news, explained
When a law, rate, or program changes, these posts show what it means for your actual paycheck, loans, and savings - dated, sourced, and tied to the calculators so you can run your own numbers.
2027 Social Security COLA: 3.6% Official - What It Means in Dollars
The Social Security Administration confirmed a 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment for 2027 on October 14, 2026. The exact CPI-W math, what it adds to the average check, the new wage base and earnings limits, and what Medicare is projected to take back.
7 min read
The Fed Raised Rates to 3.75%-4%: the First Hike Since 2023, and What It Costs You
On September 16 the Fed raised rates for the first time in over three years, unanimously. Mortgage rates hit 6.95%, a 19-month high. The verified numbers, what actually changes on your loans and savings, and the one thing most coverage gets backwards.
9 min read
The Roth 401(k) Catch-Up Rule for High Earners Starts in 2026: What the $150,000 Line Means
If your 2025 FICA wages from one employer topped $150,000, your 2026 401(k) catch-up contributions must be Roth, not pre-tax. Who is affected, plus the math.
7 min read
Social Security in 2027: What Actually Changes Beyond the COLA
The official 2027 Social Security numbers are out: a 3.6% COLA, a $192,300 wage base and new earnings-test limits. What changed, what is fixed law, and the one number still waiting (Medicare Part B).
8 min read
Trump Account vs 529 vs Custodial Roth IRA: Which Grows a Newborn's Money the Most?
Trump Account vs 529 vs custodial Roth IRA for a baby born 2025-2028: a plain-English, IRS-sourced comparison with a worked 18-year compound-growth example.
7 min read
Mortgage Rates Hit 6.66%, a 12-Month High - Right After the Fed Held Steady
Freddie Mac's 30-year average hit 6.66% the day after the Fed held rates. Why mortgage rates track the 10-year Treasury instead, with real payment math.
7 min read
2027 Social Security COLA Estimate: August Data Narrows It to 3.4% to 3.6%
With two of the three counting months now published, the 2027 Social Security COLA is running at 3.46% - TSCL 3.5%, AARP 3.6%, Mary Johnson 3.5%, CRFB 3.4%. The dollar math, the exact September number each estimate needs, and the October 14 date.
10 min read
No Tax on Overtime and Tips in 2026: What Your Paycheck Actually Gets
How the no-tax-on-tips and no-tax-on-overtime deductions really work in 2026 - caps, phase-outs, the updated W-4, and one worked example with exact math.
9 min read
The SAVE Plan Is Ending: Your 90-Day Window and What Replaces It
SAVE exit notices are arriving with a 90-day deadline. How RAP payments are calculated, what auto-enrollment means, and how RAP compares with IBR.
7 min read
Trump Accounts Explained: What a $1,000 Head Start Really Grows Into
Trump Accounts launched July 4, 2026 with a $1,000 federal deposit for babies born 2025-2028. Verified rules, how to enroll, and what the money grows into.
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