Nothing is more terrifying than the thought of running out of money in retirement. You've worked hard your entire life, and the last thing you want to do is to have to go BACK to work.
But money traps are all too common for retirees. You could be wasting hundreds, potentially even thousands every year by overlooking these common money mistakes.
Don't worry — it's never too late to correct the course! You could get started as soon as today with some of these tips to help protect your nest egg.
Scams and Fraud: American adults lost $47 billion to scams and fraud in 2025
That's right. According to a new report, American adults lost $47 billion to scams and identity fraud in 2025.
But you can safeguard your data with all-in-one scam and fraud protection services from Aura which comes with up to $1,000,000.00 in identity theft insurance1 <p>The Identity Theft Insurance is underwritten and administered by American Bankers Insurance Company of Florida, an Assurant company. Please refer to the actual policies for terms, conditions, and exclusions of coverage. Coverage may not be available in all jurisdictions. Review the <a href="https://www.aura.com/legal/insurance-summary-of-benefits">Summary of Benefits</a>.</p> per adult, to cover eligible losses and fees should you experience them.
Plans start at $7 per month, and you can choose a family plan that outmatches most others — including Dark Web monitoring to scour data breaches and leaks for your sensitive personal data — such as Social Security numbers (SSN), Medicare information, and phone numbers.
Before you make your next online purchase, protect what you’ve built for a fraction of what it could cost you if your data were compromised.
Overpriced Home Insurance: Switch your home insurance and you could save a ton of money
If you have home insurance, you need to see the recent rates available to you. There’s a good chance you’ll want to switch your policy if you see a better rate.
The best way to check for up-to-date rates: Get multiple policy quotes from a variety of home insurance providers. Too many homeowners skip this step — not realizing that they could save potentially $1,000s over the lifetime of owning their house.
Provide Home Insurance is a company that matches you with a variety of home insurance options to meet your home insurance needs … including lower overall cost or better overall coverage.
Just answer a few questions, and they will find options that are right for you.
High Management Fees: You could be overpaying for your retirement planning
Fees matter. High fees can cut into your returns and affect your overall nest egg. But the ways fees are levied vary. Some are “fee only,” charging a flat rate regardless of usage. Others take a percentage of all assets under management. Some earn commissions directly from mutual funds or other financial products, which presents a significant conflict of interest.
This free matching quiz helps Americans get matched with up to three fiduciary advisors who serve their area so they can compare and decide which advisor to work with.
Over 50? Join AARP today — because if you’re not a member you could be missing out on huge perks. When you start your membership today, you can get discounts on:
- Restaurants (save up to $450 per year!)
- Meal deliveries
- Airfare, Hotels, Cruises and Rental Cars
- Eyeglasses and even prescriptions that aren’t covered by insurance
Plus you’ll also get insider info on social security, job listings, caregiving, and retirement planning.
How to become a member today:
- Click the link below, select your free gift, and click “Join Today”
- Create your account (important!) by answering a few simple questions
- Start enjoying your discounts and perks!
Get 25% off your AARP membership, making it just $15 the first year with auto-renewal
Ignoring Your Home’s Equity: Access cash without getting a loan
If you need cash, you do not need to get a personal or payday loan. If you’re a smart homeowner, use this tool instead before you do anything else. It finds companies offering homeowners reliable access to extra cash.
LendingTree's network of lenders specialize in HELOCs (home equity line of credit). A HELOC is like a credit card that lets you access cash from your home, possibly without crazy interest rates. No, it’s not for everyone. But it’s a 100% legit way to leverage the value of your home to get extra cash, with few downsides.
Get started by using LendingTree’s free simple HELOC matching tool. The key to making a HELOC work is comparing rates and terms, and this tool does that for you. Answer a few questions and you can compare options in a few minutes.2 <p>LendingTree, LLC is a Marketing Lead Generator and is a Duly Licensed Mortgage Broker, as required by law, with its main office located at 1415 Vantage Park Drive, Suite 700, Charlotte, NC 28203, NMLS Unique Identifier #1136. LendingTree, LLC is known as LT Technologies in lieu of true name LendingTree, LLC in NY. LendingTree technology and processes are patented under U.S. Patent Nos. 6,385,594 and 6,611,816 and licensed under U.S. Patent Nos. 5,995,947 and 5,758,328. © 2026 LendingTree, LLC. All Rights Reserved. This site is directed at, and made available to, persons in the continental U.S., Alaska and Hawaii only. Terms and Conditions may apply. </p>
Getting quotes and checking rates doesn't affect your credit. You could qualify as long as your credit score is 620 or higher and you have equity in your home.
Ask this company to help you pay off your late tax debt
Past-due tax debt is overwhelming.
It weighs on your mind and causes massive anxiety. You end up emotionally and physically drained. Even worse when the IRS starts sending letters threatening wage garnishment and huge fines.
Alleviate Tax is designed specifically to help you get out of tax debt faster and could reduce some of the debt you owe.
While most tax companies just put you on a payment plan and file your taxes for you, Alleviate Tax talks to the IRS directly. They can help you pay off your tax debt faster while potentially reducing what you owe.
Important: Not everyone will qualify. To take advantage of this special program you must owe more than $10,000 in past-due taxes.