SECTION 8 OF 8
The basics
The topics connect: everyday spending explains money going out; savings and debt explain the starting position; retirement accounts and investments explain where money may be held; income, healthcare and taxes explain other parts of retirement.
For specific rules, start with the organization responsible for them: Social Security for benefits, Medicare for its coverage, and the IRS for tax and retirement-account rules. Check the date and who published the information. A general explanation can help you understand a question without choosing a personal financial decision for you.
A simple example
Pat sees two different claims about when Medicare begins. Checking Medicare.gov helps separate eligibility rules from someone else’s personal experience.
Useful resources
- Social Security: plan for retirement (opens in a new tab)
Learn about benefit estimates and how claiming age affects monthly Social Security payments.
- Medicare: eligibility and getting started (opens in a new tab)
Start with eligibility, coverage options and the different routes to enrollment.
- IRS: traditional and Roth IRAs (opens in a new tab)
An official comparison of traditional and Roth IRA rules. Follow current-year IRS guidance for limits.
Keep exploring
Return to any topic as new questions come up. The resource links point to the organizations responsible for the rules and information.
U.S. retirement education · Examples are illustrative. How we create these resources.
From the creator of Friendly’s Financial on YouTube. General education, with no personal financial recommendations.