10 Smart Money Moves to Retire

Retire with more by starting with these easy moves

Crush High-Interest Debt First: Debt with double-digit interest rates is like trying to fill a leaky bucket. Pay down credit cards and personal loans aggressively. Every dollar you wipe out in interest is a dollar that can start working for you instead of the bank.

Catch Up Like It’s Your Last Job: Being 50 or older comes with a financial bonus — bigger contribution limits. You can put thousands more into your 401(k) and IRA each year. It’s like a legal cheat code to build your nest egg faster while also lowering your taxable income.

Turn Idle Time Into Income: Your free time has value — especially if you use it to build passive income. Start a side hustle, buy dividend-paying stocks, rent out a space, or sell your expertise online. People who retire early often have more than one stream of income. You can too.

Track Every Dollar (Just for 30 Days): Most people think they know where their money goes — until they write it all down. Do a one-month audit of your spending. You’ll spot patterns, cut waste, and uncover cash you can redirect toward savings or investing. Awareness is the first step to wealth.

Put Your Savings on Autopilot: The easiest way to save more? Stop relying on willpower. Set up automatic transfers into a high-yield savings account or retirement fund. Even small amounts grow fast when they move consistently.

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. Plus, owing back taxes could affect your Social Security benefits — the IRS can garnish a significant portion of your benefits to satisfy delinquent tax debt.

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. If you're ready to make retirement what you always dreamed of and you're ready to get out of debt for good, take a few minutes to see if you're eligible.

Answer a few questions to get started

Ohio homeowners, get the best price on new windows

Old windows drive up your home's electric bill. But if you live in Ohio and your windows are 5+ years old, you could save.

Modernize connects homeowners with top local pros who install high-quality, energy-efficient windows that could help reduce energy bills and improve comfort.

They make it easy to compare quotes and find the best price on your window replacement. The entire process is hassle free.

Get started now if you check these 3 boxes:

1. You own your home.
2. Your windows are 5+ years old.
3. You live in an available ZIP code.

Get your free quote to get started

Get up to $700,000 from your home (without touching your mortgage)

This is really cool. If you own a home and want to take equity out (to pay down debt or fund home renovations, for example) you can. But a lot of options to do this force you to touch your current mortgage or pay exorbitant fees. This company gets rid of that.

It sounds crazy, but it’s called Achieve Loans, and their HELOC lets you take money out of your home quickly at a low, fixed rate. Your rates will never change, and you get an affordable monthly payment that is typically lower than credit cards or personal loans.

Achieve Loans could give you access to up to $700,000, but you can borrow what you need based on what you qualify for.¹ <p>Equal housing opportunity. Terms &amp; conditions apply.</p> No refi is required and you can get cash fast. Click the link below, put in the amount you need, and complete the short form to see if you qualify. It’s incredible.

620+ Credit Score: Complete this short form to see if you qualify

Don’t pay a CENT to contractors for home repairs until you do this

Sounds crazy. And maybe you’re not even sure if this is real. But … you’re probably curious anyway. Choice Home Warranty makes it so you might be able to save $100s in home repairs!

They’ve been around since 2008 (so you know they’re legit) and they offer affordable plans to cover appliances and systems in your home that could break down from routine wear and tear.

Think of it like this: Say your air conditioning unit breaks down during a heatwave. Instead of paying $1,500 for repairs, you may only need to pay a $100 service fee with Choice Home Warranty, and their techs come and fix it ASAP. This could save you $1,400 almost instantly!

Choose a plan here and you can still lock in their ultra-low 2026 rates (for a limited time). Then, whenever a covered system in your home breaks down, all you have to do is make your claim online or give them a call. Their team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.² <p>CHW reserves the right to offer cash back in lieu of repair or replacement in the amount of CHW's actual cost (which at times may be less than retail) to repair or replace any covered system, component or appliance. In the event that CHW makes such payment, CHW will provide written notification of the basis for the amount of the payment. First Month Free with purchase of any single payment home warranty plan. The product being offered is a service contract and is separate and distinct from any product or service warranty which may be provided by the home builder or manufacturer.</p>

Choose a plan from Choice Home Warranty here and lock in 2026 rates

P.S. Use the links above and you’ll get $50 off and 1 month free. We don’t know how long this will last, so take advantage of it today before it disappears.

Save potentially $1,000 or more on home insurance in Columbus

Most people don't even think twice about what they pay for home insurance. Huge mistake. Especially if you want more money in retirement. If you live in Columbus and you haven’t checked rates recently, you could save potentially $1,000s.

Provide Home Insurance is actively helping homeowners score huge savings on better home insurance. They bring top insurance providers together to compete for your business, potentially giving you a better deal. This could drive the cost down for you by orders of magnitude.

You could slash the cost of home insurance by tapping into potential discounts and incentives most homeowners probably don’t even know exist.

You might be eligible if you check these 3 boxes:

1. You own your home.
2. You are willing to switch providers to save money.
3. Your ZIP code qualifies.

Complete this short questionnaire to see if you qualify

Get the budgeting app that truly does it all

You think you're doing fine financially. You pay your bills, you save some money, and you're not eating out every meal. But do you really know exactly where your money’s going?

Monarch lets you visualize your spending with intuitive diagrams. Most people are scared to look. But once you see exactly where every dollar goes, you can finally take control.

This powerful all-in-one budgeting app is not only great for tracking, but gives you a true view of all your assets in one place, and our editor Greg loves it.

“I love Monarch Money. It was such an easy way to see where my money was going vs building a budget from scratch. The real value is giving my wife access so we can both follow along together!”

Monarch’s money tools are top-notch, which means they do come with a cost — as low as $8.33/mo. But you can get started today with a 7-day free trial. Plus, get 50% off your first year of Core Plan with code MONARCHVIP.

Try Monarch for free today and get 50% off your first year of Core Plan with code MONARCHVIP

Earn a $200 bonus with this incredible cash back card

The Chase Freedom Unlimited^®(Rates and fees) lets you earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. 

In addition to this welcome offer, this card lets you earn cash back on everything you buy. Earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

And it gets better (really): This card also gives you 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months. That means you could finance large purchases or pay down high-interest debt for over a year. After the intro period, the APR is 18.24% - 27.74% Variable. Oh, and the annual fee is $0. 

It's almost a no-brainer to apply. 

Good or excellent credit (typically 670 or higher) is recommended.

Click here to Apply Now to the Chase Freedom Unlimited^®

Diversify your hard-earned retirement savings with gold

You’ve spent your whole life building up your retirement savings, but market volatility and inflation could be threatening everything you’ve worked so hard for.

U.S. Gold Bureau is actively helping Americans like you find greater retirement security with precious metal investments. They offer everything from physical ownership to IRAs in gold and silver that have a proven track record during unstable markets.

In fact, from 2005 to 2020, the price of gold increased by 330%. And during the stock market crash of 2008, the value of gold actually increased by 25%.³ <p>Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Any historical returns, expected returns, or probability projections may not reflect actual future performance. All securities involve risk and may result in significant losses.</p>

Take control of your legacy today in 3 easy steps:

1. Request your FREE IRA investor's guide and receive up to $20,000 in free gold.⁴ <p>This offer is valid with a minimum purchase of $30,000 in qualifying precious metals for a retirement account. For every $30,000 in eligible metals purchased, you will receive one (1) 1/10 oz Gold American Eagle bullion coin, up to a total maximum retail value of $20,000 in gold. The specific gold product may vary based on availability. If the advertised product is unavailable at the time of order, it will be substituted with a product of similar quality and value. Processing for retirement account funding may take approximately 2–3 weeks. Limit one time offer per household address. This offer cannot be combined with other promotions or discounts. It is valid for individuals only and eligibility is determined solely by USGB and is not guaranteed. This offer is subject to change or termination at any time without prior notice. Additional terms and exclusions may apply.</p>
2. Speak to a dedicated specialist about the best option for you.
3. Transfer or invest to better diversify your portfolio.

You're in good hands, as they boast an A+ rating with the BBB, are the U.S. Mint’s largest bulk purchaser, and share a facility with the nation's only state-administered precious metals depository. If you have at least $30,000 to invest,take control of your savings now.

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 fiduciary advisors who serve their area, so they can compare and decide which advisor to work with.

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FinanceBuzz doesn’t invest its money with this provider, but they are our referral partner. We get paid by them only if you click to them from our website and take a qualifying action (for example, opening an account.)

Pay no interest into 2027 with this no annual fee card

If you're struggling to pay down high interest debt (or you're planning a major purchase this year), this might be the exact thing you need. There's a card that allows you to completely pause credit card interest into 2027 ... and the best part is that it could be easier than you think.  

Bank of America^® Customized Cash Rewards credit card is an extremely powerful card that gives you 0% intro APR for an astounding 15 billing cycles on purchases and any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. (Then APR is 17.49% - 27.49% Variable.) That's right — you can now finance large purchases you've been sitting on without paying massive interest. Or, transfer crippling high interest debt to this card and let your payments go directly to paying down your balance, without piling on additional interest charges — all withno annual fee.

But it doesn't end there. The Bank of America^® Customized Cash Rewards credit card also lets you earn 6% cash back for the first year in the category of your choice and 3% cash back after the first year from account opening in your choice category. Plus,earn a $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.

Apply now for the Bank of America^® Customized Cash Rewards credit card 

See if your credit card debt is eligible for this debt relief program

If you have a lot of debt, getting out of it can feel stressful (and nearly impossible). Here’s the problem: the longer you put off tackling it, the harder it may get to fix. If you don’t take control of it before you retire, it can add undue stress to your life for years. But what if there was a way to get out of debt once and for all?

National Debt Relief could help. If you have more than $30,000 in debt from credit cards, medical bills, collections, or personal loans, their representatives may be able to help you resolve your debt for less than you owe — with one low monthly program payment.

Best of all? There are zero upfront fees, and you could be debt-free in 24-48 months. To get started, just answer a few simple questions and get connected with a caring representative. The consultation is completely free and only takes a few minutes to see if you qualify!⁵ <p>Clients who complete the program and settle all debts typically save around 45% before fees or 20% including fees over 24–48 months, based on enrolled debts. “Debt-free” applies only to enrolled credit cards, personal loans, and medical bills. Not mortgages, car loans, or other debts. Average program completion time is 24–48 months; not all debts are eligible, and results vary as not all clients complete the program due to factors like insufficient savings. We do not guarantee specific debt reductions or timelines, nor do we assume debt, make payments to creditors, or offer legal, tax, bankruptcy, or credit repair services. Consult a tax professional or attorney as needed. Services are not available in all states. Participation may adversely affect your credit rating or score. Nonpayment of debt may result in increased finance and other charges, collection efforts, or litigation. Read all program materials before enrolling. National Debt Relief’s fees are based on a percentage of enrolled debt. All communications may be recorded or monitored for quality assurance. In certain states, additional disclosures and licensing apply. ©️ 2009–2025 National Debt Relief LLC. National Debt Relief (NMLS #1250950, CA CFL Lic. No. 60DBO-70443) is located at 180 Maiden Lane, 28th Floor, New York, NY 10038. All rights reserved. <b><a href="https://www.nationaldebtrelief.com/licenses/">Click here</a></b> for additional state-specific disclosures and licensing information.</p>

See if your $30k+ in credit card debt is eligible for National Debt Relief

Take advantage of massive discounts at restaurants and meal delivery companies

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