Invest & Retire

“Investing can seem so complicated that you might shut down and do nothing about it — or feel you need to hire someone to guide you. However, it doesn’t need to be complex. You probably already have the opportunity to get started right where you work.”

Essentials

Latest Investing & Retirement

Ask Clark Howard and Team Clark
Clark Predicts Traditional 401(k)s, IRAs Will Cease To Exist Within a Decade Investing & Retirement March 18th, 2024
Money expert Clark Howard predicts that traditional 401(k) and traditional IRA accounts will go extinct in the next 10 years.…
Target Date Funds: Clark’s Favorite Retirement Investment
Target Date Funds: Clark’s Favorite Retirement Investment Investing & Retirement March 13th, 2024
Target date funds are the “easy button” for retirement investing. They can take the confusion and research out of investing…
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What Should I Do With My 401(k) at My Old Company? Investing & Retirement March 11th, 2024
You're contributing to a 401(k) account and even getting a company match. As years go by, your balance goes up.…
Where To Put Your Cash When You’re Saving for a Purchase in Less Than 5 Years
Where To Put Your Cash When You’re Saving for a Purchase in Less Than 5 Years Investing & Retirement March 8th, 2024
You're making a major purchase in the future. Perhaps you're saving to buy a house or a car, pay for…
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Where Should My Daughter Put Her $15,000 Until She Pays for College? Investing & Retirement February 22nd, 2024
Working as a teenager still is a right of passage for many Americans. If you plan to attend college, it…
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Should I Contribute to a 529 Plan Only To Roll It Into a Roth IRA Later? Education February 20th, 2024
In past years, contributing to a 529 plan presented a clear risk to parents and grandparents. It's always been a…
Understanding the pros and cons of Roth vs. traditional 401(k)s can be helpful to maximizing your retirement saving and investing strategies.
Roth vs. Traditional 401(k): What’s the Difference? Investing & Retirement February 14th, 2024
If you're enrolling in your company retirement plan, your company may offer you a choice: a Roth 401(k) or a…
A 401(k) match is an excellent feature of a workplace retirement plan that can help secure your financial future.
401(k) Match: What Is It, How It Works Investing & Retirement February 14th, 2024
If your company offers a 401(k) match, get excited. You have an opportunity to stockpile free money for your retirement.…
Should You Follow the 4% Rule When You Retire?
Should You Follow the 4% Rule When You Retire? Investing & Retirement February 6th, 2024
I JUST READ THATthe 4% rule is making a comeback. From where, I thought? Under the4% rule, you withdraw 4%…
The Clark-Approved Way To Invest in Real Estate
The Clark-Approved Way To Invest in Real Estate Homes & Real Estate January 30th, 2024
Investing in real estate is always a hot topic whether the housing market is booming (like in 2022) or whether…
Realistic retirement age
Report: The Most Realistic Retirement Ages in the 10 Most Populous States Investing & Retirement January 29th, 2024
Many Americans see retirement as a predetermined milestone. But, your circumstances — including where you live — may factor into…
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Should I Take a $700,000 Lump Sum or a $4,200 Monthly Pension? Investing & Retirement January 19th, 2024
Sometimes life is kind enough to give us win-win decisions. Would you like this or that delicious dessert at your…
Clark Howard investment guide
How To Save and Invest the Clark Howard Way Investing & Retirement January 19th, 2024
Money expert Clark Howard is giving you his 10-step guide to saving and investing for free, all in one place:…
Fidelity vs. Vanguard vs. Schwab: Which Brokerage Is Best?
Fidelity vs. Vanguard vs. Schwab: Which Brokerage Is Best? Investing & Retirement January 12th, 2024
Fidelity, Vanguard and Schwab are massively popular investment companies. Money expert Clark Howard recommends all three. If you’re deciding which…
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My Teenage Daughter Just Got $2,000. Should I Open a Bank Account for Her? Investing & Retirement January 11th, 2024
Every parent must decide their philosophy on raising kids. How much discipline should you enforce? Should you make your child…
HSA savings
Does It Make Sense To Pay Medical Expenses With Cash Instead of Using HSA Funds? Investing & Retirement January 11th, 2024
If you have a Health Savings Account (HSA), you’ll want to make sure you’re getting the best use out of…
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I’m 55 and Make $80,000. Should I Contribute to a Traditional or Roth 401(k) Plan? Investing & Retirement January 10th, 2024
The number of words we devote to something can be a proxy for how much we care about it. Based…
3 Big Retirement Account Changes You Haven’t Heard About
3 Big Retirement Account Changes You Haven’t Heard About Investing & Retirement January 9th, 2024
It's hard enough to learn all the retirement account laws and rules. Keeping up with retirement account changes from year…
Why Clark Howard Is Obsessed With Roth for Retirement Savings
Why Clark Howard Is Obsessed With Roth for Retirement Savings Investing & Retirement January 3rd, 2024
Money expert Clark Howard radiates enthusiasm whenever he talks about Roth IRAs and Roth 401(k)s as retirement options. "I have…
Should You Continue Working After Starting To Collect Social Security Benefits?
Should You Continue Working After Starting To Collect Social Security Benefits? Investing & Retirement December 20th, 2023
SOCIAL SECURITY’Scomplexity never fails to surprise. While many retirees have some sense for what factors determine the size of their…
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Should You Ensure You Get Your 401(k) Company Match Even if It Means Bankruptcy? Investing & Retirement December 18th, 2023
Becoming a full-time employee at a company with benefits gives you something worth more than your salary. That's especially true…
Average Social Security check
Report: Average Monthly Social Security Benefit by Age Investing & Retirement December 15th, 2023
After decades of working many U.S. seniors look forward to retiring and receiving their first Social Security check. Once you…
Best Investment Companies for Investors in 2024
Best Investment Companies for Investors in 2024 Investing & Retirement December 14th, 2023
The best investment companies are good fits for almost every investor whether you’re a beginner or you’re making exotic trades.…
Required Minimum Distributions: How To Calculate, Rules
Required Minimum Distributions: How To Calculate, Rules Investing & Retirement December 11th, 2023
Once you turn 73, the IRS expects you to take annual Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from your retirement accounts. But…
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Can You Withdraw Money From Retirement Accounts at Will? Investing & Retirement December 7th, 2023
Most financial literature related to 401(k) accounts or IRAs focuses on contributions. But what about when you retire? Yes, there…
Buying on Margin: The Investment Mistake You Need To Avoid
Buying on Margin: The Investment Mistake You Need To Avoid Investing & Retirement December 7th, 2023
American investors owed nearly $650 billion in margin debt entering November after the number peaked near $1 trillion at one…
3 Places You Should Never Invest Your Money
3 Places You Should Never Invest Your Money Banks & Banking December 5th, 2023
With great power comes great responsibility. Whether you've read about the Sword of Damocles or simply watched Spiderman, you've probably…
Ask Clark Howard and Team Clark
Should I Participate in Costco’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan or Open a Roth IRA? Investing & Retirement November 22nd, 2023
Costco is money expert Clark Howard's favorite store. As such, we've written plenty about whether a Costco membership is worth…
Ask Clark Howard and Team Clark
I May Make Too Much Money To Be Eligible To Contribute To a Roth IRA in 2024. What Do I Do? Investing & Retirement November 20th, 2023
Outside of a workplace 401(k) plan that offers a company match, a Roth IRA is money expert Clark Howard's favorite…
Facet Wealth Review: Is Facet a Fiduciary and How Much Does It Cost?
Facet Wealth Review: Is Facet a Fiduciary and How Much Does It Cost? Investing & Retirement November 8th, 2023
By industry standards, Facet Wealth is a young company. But it has become a recognizable investment company in the United…