L-Plate Retiree logo
L-Plate Retiree
Subscribe
  • L-Plate Retiree
  • Topics
  • Personal Finance

Personal Finance

LifestyleFitnessInvesting and TradingPersonal FinanceHealthWeekend Musings
Personal FinancePersonal Finance
Americans Over 60 Lost $7.75 Billion to Scammers in 2025, FBI Says
Oct 12, 2026

Americans Over 60 Lost $7.75 Billion to Scammers in 2025, FBI Says

The FBI's latest report shows fraud losses among people 60 and older jumped 59 percent. Here is where the money went and how the con usually starts.

Personal FinancePersonal Finance
Medicare Advantage Premiums Fall in 2027. Will Yours Actually Drop?
Oct 05, 2026

Medicare Advantage Premiums Fall in 2027. Will Yours Actually Drop?

CMS projects average Medicare Advantage premiums will fall 16.5% in 2027 while stand-alone drug plans edge up. Here is why your plan may differ.

Personal FinancePersonal Finance
What 78 Cents on the Dollar Means for Your Social Security Plan
Sep 28, 2026

What 78 Cents on the Dollar Means for Your Social Security Plan

This year's Trustees Report moved the retirement fund's depletion to late 2032. Here is what 78% payable really means, and what it does not.

Personal FinancePersonal Finance
A Record Average 401(k) Hides What the Typical Saver Really Has
Sep 21, 2026

A Record Average 401(k) Hides What the Typical Saver Really Has

Vanguard's latest report shows a record $167,970 average 401(k) balance. The median is $44,115. The gap explains almost everything.

Personal FinancePersonal Finance
America's Retirement Crisis: Why 80% Now Fear the System Is Failing
Sep 14, 2026

America's Retirement Crisis: Why 80% Now Fear the System Is Failing

A survey of 1,203 Americans finds 80% believe the nation faces a retirement crisis, and shows how wary they are of AI and crypto near their savings.

Personal FinancePersonal Finance
Medicare's 2027 Premium Increase Looks Small. Watch the Fine Print
Sep 07, 2026

Medicare's 2027 Premium Increase Looks Small. Watch the Fine Print

The trustees project the standard Part B premium up just 3.5% in 2027. Forecasters see more, and Part D drug costs are already locked in higher.

Personal FinancePersonal Finance
The Widow's Penalty: Why Losing a Spouse Can Raise Your Taxes
Aug 31, 2026

The Widow's Penalty: Why Losing a Spouse Can Raise Your Taxes

When a spouse dies, the survivor often pays more federal tax on less income. Here is why the widow's penalty happens and the year that helps most.

Personal FinancePersonal Finance
Social Security's 2027 COLA: Why 3.6% Isn't a Promise Just Yet
Aug 24, 2026

Social Security's 2027 COLA: Why 3.6% Isn't a Promise Just Yet

The Senior Citizens League now projects a 3.6% Social Security raise for 2027, the biggest in four years. The official figure lands 14 October.

Personal FinancePersonal Finance
A 1984 Threshold Is Quietly Taxing More of Your Social Security
Aug 17, 2026

A 1984 Threshold Is Quietly Taxing More of Your Social Security

The income limits that decide whether your Social Security is taxed were set in 1984 and never indexed. Here is why that costs more each year.

Personal FinancePersonal Finance
You Can Afford to Spend More in Retirement. Most People Still Won't.
Aug 10, 2026

You Can Afford to Spend More in Retirement. Most People Still Won't.

Most retirees can afford to spend freely but hold back anyway. Here's why the habit that built your savings works against you now.

Personal FinancePersonal Finance
Retirement's $185,500 Health Bill That Medicare Won't Fully Cover
Aug 03, 2026

Retirement's $185,500 Health Bill That Medicare Won't Fully Cover

Fidelity says a 65-year-old retiring in 2026 will spend $185,500 on healthcare. Here is why most people leave it off the plan, and what to do.

Personal FinancePersonal Finance
The 4% Rule Is Now the 3.9% Rule. Here's What Changed for 2026
Jul 27, 2026

The 4% Rule Is Now the 3.9% Rule. Here's What Changed for 2026

Morningstar's latest research trims the safe starting withdrawal rate to 3.9% for 2026 – and why flexibility may matter more than the number.

Because Retirement Doesn’t Come With A Manual

L-Plate Retiree

Because Retirement Doesn’t Come With A Manual

Home

Posts

© 2026 L-Plate Retiree. All rights reserved (mostly the right to make mistakes and learn from them)..

Powered by beehiiv