Curated Monthly
Retirement Reads
A hand-picked handful of the best retirement articles we've read lately, from trusted sources around the web. We summarize each one and link you straight to it — with a pointer back to our own guides when they can help.
This month's picks · July 20263 Questions That Define Your Ideal Social Security Claiming Age
A practical framework for retirement's biggest money decision: three questions — about your likely lifespan, your income needs, and the effect on your spouse and heirs — to help you settle on the right age to start benefits.
On RetireCalm: work through the tradeoffs in our Social Security guide and break-even calculator.
Medicare Open Enrollment: What You Can Change
The official rundown of what you're allowed to change during Medicare's fall Open Enrollment (October 15 to December 7) — switching between Original Medicare and Advantage, or joining or changing a Part D drug plan. Worth reviewing before plans update their costs and drug lists.
On RetireCalm: get oriented first with our plain-English Medicare guide.
4 Required Minimum Distribution Mistakes to Avoid in 2026
Four common — and costly — required-minimum-distribution slip-ups, from misreading the first-year deadline to overlooking how a large withdrawal can raise your Medicare premiums and the tax on your Social Security. A quick read if you're 73 or older.
On RetireCalm: see how RMDs are calculated in our IRA & RMD guide.
Five Healthy Habits for Successfully Aging in Our 60s and 70s
Stanford physicians share the five habits that matter most in your 60s and 70s — including aiming for roughly 7,000 steps a day (which you can split into shorter walks) and working on your balance now to help prevent the falls that threaten independence later.
On RetireCalm: ease into it with our simple walking program.
Links lead to third-party websites we don't control; we share them because we found them useful, not as endorsements or advice. Summaries are our own. Always confirm details that affect your money or health with the source or a qualified professional.