Plan by Age

Different decade, different game.

Your money priorities shift every 10 years. 7 source-cited playbooks for every decade; plus couples and freelancers; each linked to the calculators that run the math.

7 playbooks·Updated May 19, 2026·Editorial policy →

In Your 20s

Time is the asset. Compound it.

Crush debt, build the emergency fund, start the Roth IRA. Small moves at 22 dwarf big moves at 52.

Student Loans · Roth IRA · 401(k) · Emergency Fund

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In Your 30s

Compete for every dollar, then compound it.

Mortgage, kids, life insurance, career growth all pulling at the same paycheck. Sequence matters.

Mortgage · Life Insurance · Family · Investing

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In Your 40s

Peak earnings. Pour fuel on the fire.

Max retirement, fund 529s, watch lifestyle inflation. The decade where decisions actually move retirement age.

Catch-Up · 529 · Mid-Career · Tax

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In Your 50s

Retirement isn't abstract anymore.

Final push: catch-up contributions, real retirement-date math, healthcare bridge before Medicare.

Catch-Up Limits · Healthcare · Downsizing · Date

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In Your 60s

Timing is everything.

Social Security claiming, Medicare enrollment, RMDs, estate planning. Sequencing > saving here.

Social Security · Medicare · RMDs · Estate

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For Couples

The money conversations every couple needs.

Joint vs separate accounts, filing status, insurance gaps, shared goals — the math behind the talks.

Joint Finances · Filing Status · Insurance

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For Freelancers

No match. No withholding. No safety net.

Self-employment tax, SEP IRA, quarterly payments, every deduction you deserve. Variable-income survival.

SE Tax · SEP IRA · Quarterly · Deductions

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Don't know where to start