Learn how cliff and graded 401(k) vesting schedules work, when your employer match becomes yours, and how to check your plan’s vesting terms.
Finance Skills Posts
What each step of the federal Form W-4 does, when to use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator, who can claim exempt, and when to give your employer a new form.
How traditional and Roth IRAs are taxed, the 2026 contribution limit and Roth income limits, withdrawal rules, and how to decide between the two.
Why all side income is taxable, the 1099-NEC and 1099-K thresholds, how self-employment tax works, quarterly estimated payments and the records worth keeping.
Your four options for a 401(k) when you leave a job, how direct and indirect rollovers work, the cost of cashing out and how to find plans you’ve lost track of.
What gross pay, pre-tax deductions, tax withholding, Social Security, Medicare and year-to-date figures on a U.S. pay stub mean, with a worked example.
What an index fund is, how it differs from an actively managed fund, why expense ratios matter, mutual funds versus ETFs, and the risks that still apply.
Whether you need to file, the forms to gather, the 2026 standard deduction, free filing options from the IRS and volunteers, and how refunds and deadlines work.
How compounding works, a worked example of saving $200 a month for 30 years versus 20, the rule of 72, and how the same math works against you on debt.