Working With a Tax Professional on Future 401(k) Strategy
For many people, a 401(k) is one of the biggest investments they’ll ever have. But too often, choices about how much to contribute, when to make Roth conversions, or how to withdraw money in retirement are made without considering how taxes will affect them.
Apr 30, 2026 · 6 min
Hormuz Blockade Hits Home: Memphis Faces Rising Costs
Eight weeks into the U.S.-Iran conflict, the financial consequences are impossible to ignore. According to a U.S. official, the war has already cost Americans about $25 billion—and it’s still sending reverberations through global energy markets.
Apr 30, 2026 · 4 min
Reviewing 401(k) Beneficiary and Withholding Elections After Filing
For many people, filing a tax return feels like crossing the finish line. Once the return is sent off and the refund or payment is handled, most of us set taxes aside until next year.
Apr 29, 2026 · 8 min
How Your Tax Bracket Can Guide 401(k) Contributions
Deciding between pre-tax and Roth 401(k) contributions isn’t just about retirement—it’s also about your tax bracket.
Apr 29, 2026 · 6 min
Using Installment Plans While Continuing Minimum 401(k) Savings
Owing taxes can be stressful. When you have a federal or state tax bill due, it’s natural to want to free up cash fast. Many people consider stopping their retirement contributions until the tax is paid off.
Apr 29, 2026 · 9 min
Setting Up an Annual “Refund Action Plan” in Advance
A tax refund can feel like a bonus, but it’s really just money you paid in taxes that you didn’t need to. Since it’s your own money coming back to you, it’s worth thinking carefully about how you use it.
Apr 29, 2026 · 7 min
Using a Tax Bill as a Prompt to Revisit Withholding and 401(k) Choices
Getting hit with a bigger tax bill than you expected can be frustrating, but it can also be a helpful wake-up call. Instead of seeing it as just a setback, use it as a reason to check whether your tax payments and retirement contributions still match your current goals.
Apr 27, 2026 · 5 min
The Refund and the System: Making a 401(k) Contribution in Memphis
In the city of Memphis, as in every city across America, the arrival of spring brings with it a customary ritual. For some, it is the azalea blooming in Overton Park, for others, the slow return of heat to the banks of the Mississippi, and for many, it is the arrival of the tax refund—a sum that, for a moment, seems to represent possibility itself.
Apr 27, 2026 · 5 min
Using HSAs to Prepare for Health Costs in Retirement
Treating your Health Savings Account like a long-term investment vehicle is one of the most underutilized yet powerful strategies to manage rising health costs in retirement.
Apr 21, 2026 · 5 min
RETIREMENT PLANNING: The Two Paths to Tax-Free Retirement Money
The Two Paths to Tax-Free Retirement Money A client’s question sparked a deeper conversation about retirement strategies, income limits, and a tricky tax rule that often catches people by surprise.
Apr 9, 2026 · 10 min
Coordinating Backdoor Roths With 401(k) Contributions
How 401(k) participation affects IRA deductibility and why some high income savers still consider backdoor Roths alongside workplace plans.
Apr 2, 2026 · 7 min
Why IRA Contributions Still Matter: A Practical Guide to Today’s Limits and Long-Term Benefits
Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) remain a reliable way to build retirement security, even as workplace plans like 401(k)s evolve.
Mar 24, 2026 · 4 min
Spotting Tax Inefficient Funds in Your Taxable Account
When investing in a taxable account, what matters is what you keep after taxes.
Mar 9, 2026 · 5 min
What Your Investment Income Is Telling You About Your Tax Strategy
Your investment income isn’t just a number on your tax return—it’s a window into how tax-efficient your portfolio really is.
Mar 5, 2026 · 6 min
Too Many Old 401(k)s? The Hidden Risks of Sprawl, Oversight Gaps, and Fee Drag
Having too many old 401(k) accounts can quietly undermine your retirement goals.
Feb 23, 2026 · 6 min
Where 401(k) Fees Hide—and How to Tell If Yours Are Reasonable
401(k) fees often hide in plain sight, tucked into your statements and plan website.
Feb 18, 2026 · 5 min
How 401(k) Fees Quietly Shape Your Retirement Balance Over Time
Even modest 401(k) fees can quietly chip away at your retirement savings gradually, often more than most people realize.
Feb 18, 2026 · 5 min
Target Date vs. Build Your Own: How Two Similar Risk 401(k) Portfolios Can Work Very Differently
A target-date fund and a simple three-fund portfolio might both aim for the same level of risk, but they help you get there in different ways—and ask different things of you as an investor.
Feb 17, 2026 · 6 min
Should You Use a Target Date Fund or Build Your Own 401(k) Portfolio?
Target-date funds are often described as a “set it and forget it” option—a single fund that automatically shifts its mix of stocks and bonds as you get closer to retirement.
Feb 17, 2026 · 6 min
How to Read Your 401(k) Fund Menu Like a Pro
Your 401(k)-fund menu might look confusing at first, but it’s easier than it seems
Feb 16, 2026 · 6 min
A 10 Point 401(k) Health Check for 2026
A 10-step 401(k) checkup helps ensure your 2026 retirement savings strategy aligns with your goals, plan rules, and current contribution limits.
Feb 12, 2026 · 4 min
Avoiding the Most Common 401(k) Mistakes by Decade
Avoiding the most common 401(k) mistakes changes as you move through your 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s.
Feb 12, 2026 · 5 min
Could You Comfortably Max Your 401(k) Someday?
Maxing out your 401(k) isn’t something you have to achieve overnight.
Feb 12, 2026 · 5 min
Why Your Employer Match Matters More Than You Think
An employer's 401(k) match is a valuable tool for building retirement savings.
Feb 11, 2026 · 5 min
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