Outside the calendar

The toolbox

The twelve months cover the decisions that arrive on a schedule. These are the ones that show up on their own — a pension election lands on your desk, a mortgage question won't leave you alone. All free, no account, and nothing you type is saved or sent anywhere.

Income and pensions

Pension

Lump sum or monthly?

Single life against joint and survivor, priced side by side — including what the survivor option actually costs and what inflation takes from a fixed pension.

Taxes

Deferral

What is deferral really costing?

Project the tax bill building inside a traditional IRA over time, with and without a Roth strategy.

Debt and the house

Mortgage

Should I pay it off?

The most-asked question in retirement — including which account the money comes from, which is what usually decides it.

Looking for something that isn't here? The twelve monthly briefings cover the decisions that arrive on a schedule — Social Security timing, health coverage, required distributions, long-term care and the rest. Start there. And if there's a calculation you wish existed, tell me on the monthly call and I'll probably build it.