Your 401(k) Portfolio: One Job, One Fund, and Where the Rest Belongs
A little of everything is not a portfolio. Here is the 401(k) allocation by stage, and what belongs elsewhere.
Refinedfi
19 min read
Category
Saving for retirement research
403(b) Retirement Plan: How One Fee Can Add 5½ Years of Additional Work
I used to sell 403(b) annuities to teachers, but not anymore. What I learned to do and what NOT to do could save you years off your retirement date.
20 min read
Target-Date Fund vs S&P 500: Which One Gets You There Sooner?
Target-date fund vs S&P 500, run on real returns. One of them took 4.5 to 5.6 years longer to get you to the same number.
13 min read
How to Catch Up on Retirement Savings Without Touching Your Paycheck
How to catch up on retirement savings without cutting your paycheck. Before you save more, retire later, or spend less, check whether your portfolio matches your retirement stage. It's the cheapest fix you have.
10 min read
How To Invest Your 401(k): One Simple Answer Most Articles Avoid
When given a limited menu to choose from, this is the ideal process to invest your 401(k) for your future.
17 min read
How To Invest HSA Funds: Payroll-To-Portfolio Protocol
How to invest HSA funds so they compound instead of sitting in cash: contribute through payroll, auto-invest on payday, and pay medical bills out of pocket.
14 min read
HSA vs FSA: One Builds Your Retirement, One Forfeits Your Money
Maxing your HSA instead of your FSA can pull your retirement date forward by four years. Here is the math.
15 min read
HSA vs Roth IRA: Where Should Your Next Retirement Dollar Go?
Want a retirement edge most people miss? The HSA can beat the Roth IRA, if you know three rules. See the 2026 math.
10 min read
The TSP Allocation That Could Save You Five Years of Work
Use 100% C Fund more than 10 years out, 70% C Fund and 30% G Fund inside 10, then let your retirement income gap set the final allocation.
14 min read
Featured
HSA vs Roth IRA: Where Should Your Next Retirement Dollar Go?
Want a retirement edge most people miss? The HSA can beat the Roth IRA, if you know three rules. See the 2026 math.
10 min read
Does Your Bond Fund Need Ozempic?
The best bond funds for retirement are usually active, flexible funds, not debt-weighted indexes. Refined FI weighs inflation and stock-bond correlation first.
11 min read
Retirement Income Sources: More Than Stocks and Bonds
Retirement income sources that behave differently in difficult markets. Most portfolios are built to grow wealth. This one was built to distribute income.
7 min read