Personal Finance.
The foundations beneath investing: saving, budgeting, debt, and financial goals.
PEA: the 5-year rule, explained with numbers
A PEA is free of income tax only after 5 years. Here is when the clock starts, what a withdrawal costs before and after the mark, and why social levies are still due.
PER: is the tax deduction worth the lock? Your cap, calculated
Every euro you pay into a PER comes off your taxable income, up to a cap. Here is how the 2026 cap is calculated, what the deduction is worth at your tax rate, and what you give up in exchange.
French investment accounts compared: PEA, Assurance-Vie, PER, CTO and PEE
France gives investors five main accounts, and each one is taxed by its own rules. Here is what each account is for, how it is taxed in 2026, and how to hold several of them as one portfolio.
How a UTMA Custodial Account Works: Investing for a Child, and the Kiddie Tax
A UTMA or UGMA account lets an adult invest for a child, with the money in the child's name. This guide explains how the account works, how the kiddie tax applies to its dividends and gains, what happens when the child comes of age, and how it compares with a 529 plan.
How a 529 Plan Works: Tax-Free Savings for Education, and the Roth Rollover
A 529 plan lets you save for a child's education and pay no federal tax on the growth when you spend it on school. This guide explains how it works, what counts as an education cost, the gift-tax rules for large payments, what happens to money you do not use, and the rollover to a Roth IRA.
SEP IRA and SIMPLE IRA: Retirement Plans for the Self-Employed and Small Businesses
A SEP IRA and a SIMPLE IRA let self-employed people and small businesses save for retirement with a tax break and almost no paperwork. This guide explains how each one works, the 2026 limits, who pays in, and how they compare with a solo 401(k).
How a 403(b) and a 457(b) Work: Retirement Plans for Teachers, Non-Profits and Government
A 403(b) and a 457(b) are the workplace retirement plans of schools, non-profits and government employers. This guide explains how each one works, the 2026 limits, why some people can fill both in the same year, and the 457(b) rule that lets you take money out before 59½ with no penalty.
How a Taxable Brokerage Account Works: Dividends, Capital Gains and Tax-Loss Harvesting
A taxable brokerage account has no tax break and no limits: you can put in any amount and take it out at any time. This guide explains how its dividends and gains are taxed in 2026, the foreign tax credit, tax-loss harvesting and the wash-sale rule, and when it beats a 401(k) or an IRA.
How an HSA Works: the Triple Tax Break and Investing for Retirement
A Health Savings Account is the only US account that is tax-free on the way in, while it grows and on the way out. This guide explains who can open one, the 2026 limits, how to invest it, the rules for withdrawals and how an HSA becomes a retirement account after 65.
How a Traditional IRA Works: the Deduction, Withdrawals and Traditional vs Roth
A traditional IRA can cut your tax bill today and lets your money grow untaxed until you take it out. This guide explains the 2026 limits, who can deduct, the rules for withdrawals and minimum distributions, rollovers from a 401(k), and how to choose between traditional and Roth.
How a Roth IRA Works: Limits, the Five-Year Rule and the Backdoor
A Roth IRA takes taxed money today and gives back tax-free growth later. This guide explains the 2026 limits, the income phase-out, the five-year rule, the backdoor Roth and how a Roth IRA fits next to your 401(k).
How a 401(k) Works: The Employer Match and the Vesting Schedule
A 401(k) is where most American employees save for retirement, and where many leave money behind. How the account works in 2026, how to get the full employer match, and how the vesting schedule decides what you keep when you change jobs.
Dollar-Cost Averaging: Investing on a Fixed Schedule
Dollar-cost averaging means putting the same amount in on a regular schedule, whatever the market is doing. Here is the arithmetic behind it, what it is genuinely good for, and how it compares to investing a lump sum.
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