Wealth Habits Insights

LATEST ISSUE

The Estimated Tax Penalty Retirees Pay Even After Paying in Full

You can owe the IRS nothing in April and still get a penalty notice for how you paid it.

Oct 8, 2026

Sep 22, 2026

You Know Your Salary, But Not Where It Goes

It's the one number in your financial life nobody hands you, and the one that decides whether everything else adds up.

Sep 15, 2026

Roth IRA or 529: Which One Should Come First?

Parents fund the 529 first out of guilt and the Roth IRA second out of habit. That order is backwards, and your kids will thank you for it later.

Sep 8, 2026

Every September, Wall Street Braces for a Selloff That Rarely Comes

The data says September is the worst month for the market

One money decision per issue, with the tax math shown.

Written by Gabriel Kaplan, CFP® and CPA.

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Sep 1, 2026

The HSA: The Best Retirement Account Nobody Uses Right

It functions as a retirement account wearing a disguise, and almost nobody plays it that way.

Aug 25, 2026

If You Die Without a Plan, the State Decides Who Gets Everything

It decides who raises your kids, too, and the judge has never met them.

Aug 18, 2026

The 4% Rule Was Built for 1994, and Retirements Now Stretch Past 30 Years

Bengen published this rule three decades ago, and even he doesn't use it anymore.

Aug 11, 2026

Rent vs. Buy: Why Your Mortgage Calculator Is Lying to You

The monthly payment is the smallest number in this decision. Taxes, maintenance, and closing costs add up to $30,000 most people never see coming.

Aug 4, 2026

What a Trump Account Actually Does for Your Kid

Free money for some, a real head start for almost everyone else.

Jul 28, 2026

When Does It Make Sense to Work With a Financial Advisor?

The honest answer nobody in the industry will give you.

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CALCULATOR

Roth Conversion Calculator

Plan conversions year by year. See how tax brackets, RMDs, and Medicare surcharges change the answer.

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Estimate your federal tax with RSU vests, option exercises, and the AMT in the picture.

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Retirement readiness

Gather the spending, income, health coverage, and investment facts you need to compare retirement dates.

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Derastone LLC dba Wealth Habits is a registered investment adviser. Review our Form CRS and Form ADV at adviserinfo.sec.gov.

Wealth Habits Insights

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