Make It Last.Your Income Plan.
Learn how to create a sustainable retirement income strategy, understand when to claim Social Security, and plan ahead for healthcare — one of retirement’s biggest expenses.
Welcome to Quarter 3
This quarter focuses on making your retirement savings last and preparing for healthcare costs — two of the most critical pieces of a retirement income plan.
Tell us about yourself
This helps us personalize your course experience and results.
Which stage of your career
best describes you?
Each path covers the same 2 topics but with strategies, benchmarks, and action steps tailored to your stage — and the retirement decisions that matter most to you right now.
Most people spend decades building their retirement savings. Far fewer have a clear plan for drawing it down. This topic covers the strategies, frameworks, and decisions that help your money last — tailored to where you are in your career.
In your 20s and 30s, one of your greatest retirement advantages isn’t your salary — it’s time. Compounding growth means money invested today has decades to multiply before you ever need to draw on it. A 22-year-old contributing $500/month may accumulate approximately $193,000 more by retirement than someone who starts at 25 with the exact same contribution, simply because of three extra years of compounding.1
This is the decade to build habits, not just balances. The savings rate, asset allocation, and account choices you make now will compound — for better or worse — for the next 30–40 years.
The median American under 35 has just $18,880 saved for retirement.2 A widely used retirement benchmark suggests 1× your annual salary by age 30.3 If you’re behind: you are not alone, and time is still on your side.
- Consider contributing enough to your 401(k) to capture the full employer match — it may represent one of the more reliable near-term returns available.
- A Roth IRA may be worth considering in lower-earning years — paying taxes now and growing tax-free tends to be a favorable trade-off for many early-career savers.
- Automating small annual contribution increases of 1%–2% is one approach many savers find effective over the long run.
You won’t retire for 30–40 years — which actually makes understanding longevity risk more important, not less. The retirement income plan you’re building today needs to last potentially 30 years in retirement. A 65-year-old couple today has a 50% chance that at least one partner lives past 92 — that’s 27 years of income to fund.
For early-career savers, the core implication is simple: your savings target must account for a long retirement, not just reaching it. Building a larger nest egg now — through high savings rates, growth-oriented investing, and time — is considered one of the most effective approaches to reducing the risk of outliving your money decades from now.
- Stay growth-oriented. With 30+ years before retirement, short-term volatility is a non-event. A broadly diversified stock portfolio grows faster than a conservative one — and you have decades to recover from any downturn.
- Build the right savings rate now. Financial planners broadly recommend saving 15% of pre-tax income (including employer match). If you’re below that, increase by 1%–2% per year until you get there.
- Think about Social Security early. Even decades away, the age you claim Social Security will determine a large portion of your retirement income floor. Delaying from 62 to 70 can increase your monthly benefit by up to 76%.
- Avoid the temptation to cash out. The IRS charges a 10% early withdrawal penalty plus ordinary income tax on 401(k) withdrawals before age 59½. Cashing out even a small balance early destroys decades of compounding.
You won’t be withdrawing for decades — but understanding the distribution phase now shapes the decisions you make during accumulation. Your retirement income won’t come from a paycheck. It will come from withdrawing from accounts you’re building today. How those accounts are structured (Roth vs. traditional) determines your flexibility in retirement.
Morningstar’s December 2025 research puts the 2026 safe starting withdrawal rate at 3.9%4 for a 30-year retirement with 90% probability of success. If you plan to retire early, you may need a 35–40 year horizon — requiring either a larger nest egg or more conservative withdrawals.
- 401(k): $24,500 in 20266. Consider contributing at least enough to capture the full employer match — it’s a 50%–100% instant return on that portion.
- Roth IRA: $7,500 in 2026. Full contribution available if your MAGI is below $153,000 (single) or $242,000 (married filing jointly)7 — IRS Notice 2025-67 / Vanguard67. In your lower-earning years, the Roth’s tax-free growth is typically considered a favorable long-run trade-off for many people.
- HSA: $4,400 individual / $8,750 family. If you have an HSA-eligible health plan, this triple-tax account doubles as a long-term retirement healthcare reserve.
Early career priority order: (1) 401(k) up to full employer match → (2) Roth IRA to maximum → (3) 401(k) up to annual limit → (4) HSA if eligible.
Healthcare is one of the largest and most unpredictable expenses in retirement — and one of the least planned for. This topic covers Medicare, supplemental coverage, long-term care, and the financial tools worth understanding at every career stage.
Healthcare costs in retirement are large, inflation-prone, and hard to predict. Research suggests a retired couple may need $315,000 or more to cover Medicare premiums and out-of-pocket costs over a 20+ year retirement11 — and that doesn’t include long-term care. Starting an HSA or a dedicated healthcare reserve in your 20s and 30s gives that money decades to potentially grow.
- If you have access to an HSA-eligible health plan, contributing the maximum and investing the balance may allow it to grow tax-free for decades.
- Medicare doesn’t begin until 65, covers roughly 80% of approved costs, and has enrollment rules worth knowing before you need them.
- Long-term care insurance premiums tend to be lower at younger ages — researching options early may be worth considering.
Medicare is the federal health insurance program available to most Americans starting at age 65 (regardless of Social Security claiming status). It is structured in separate parts, each with distinct coverage, costs, and enrollment rules.
- Part A — Hospital Insurance. Covers inpatient hospital care, skilled nursing facility care (up to 100 days after a qualifying hospital stay), hospice, and some home health care. Most people pay $0 premium for Part A if they or their spouse paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years (40 quarters). If you have fewer than 30 quarters, the full 2026 premium is $565/month.
- Part B — Medical Insurance. Covers outpatient care, doctor visits, preventive services, durable medical equipment, and mental health. The standard 2026 premium is $202.90/month12 (up $17.90 from $185 in 2025). The annual deductible is $283 in 2026. Higher earners pay more (see IRMAA below).
- Part D — Prescription Drugs. Offered through private insurers approved by Medicare. Average premium is approximately $46.50/month in 2026, but varies widely by plan and location. Part D is optional, but delaying enrollment when first eligible results in a permanent late-enrollment penalty of 1% of the national base premium for each month you were eligible but not enrolled.
If your income is above a certain threshold, you pay more for Medicare Parts B and D through the Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA). In 2026, IRMAA applies if your 2024 Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) exceeded $109,000 (single) or $218,000 (married filing jointly). This is a cliff surcharge: even $1 over the threshold triggers higher premiums for the entire year.
- Tier 1 ($109K–$137K single / $218K–$274K joint): Part B = $284.10/mo; Part D surcharge = $14.50/mo
- Tier 2 ($137K–$171K / $274K–$342K): Part B = $405.80/mo; Part D surcharge = $37.50/mo
- Higher tiers go up to $594.50/mo for Part B at the highest income level
- IRMAA uses a 2-year lookback: your 2026 premiums are based on your 2024 income. Plan income 2+ years before Medicare starts.
- Had a major life change (retirement, divorce, death of spouse, loss of pension)? File Form SSA-44 to request use of a more recent year’s income.
Planning tip: Roth conversions, capital gain realizations, and IRA withdrawals in the years before Medicare enrollment can all spike your MAGI and trigger IRMAA two years later. Income planning before age 63 can save a couple thousands of dollars per year in Medicare premiums.
- Initial Enrollment Period (IEP): A 7-month window — 3 months before the month you turn 65, the month of your birthday, and 3 months after. Miss this without qualifying coverage and you face permanent premium penalties and potential gaps in coverage.
- Special Enrollment Period (SEP): If you have employer coverage at 65 (you or a spouse actively working and covered), you can delay Medicare without penalty and enroll within 8 months of losing that coverage.
- General Enrollment Period: January 1 – March 31 each year, with coverage starting July 1. This is the “catch-up” window, but it comes with late penalties and a coverage gap.
- Annual Open Enrollment: October 15 – December 7 each year to switch Medicare Advantage plans, change Part D plans, or move between Original Medicare and Advantage.
Original Medicare (Parts A + B) covers approximately 80% of approved costs. The remaining 20% — along with deductibles and copays — is your responsibility. For major procedures or extended hospitalizations, that 20% can add up to tens of thousands of dollars quickly. Two main options exist to fill this gap:
- Medigap (Medicare Supplement Insurance) — Sold by private insurers to work alongside Original Medicare. Standardized plans (labeled A through N) are defined by federal law, so the benefits for each plan letter are identical across insurers — only the premiums differ. Medigap offers predictable out-of-pocket costs and broad provider access (any doctor/hospital that accepts Medicare). Premiums are typically higher than Advantage, but you face fewer surprises at the point of care.
- Medicare Advantage (Part C) — An all-in-one alternative to Original Medicare offered through private insurers. Typically bundles Part A, Part B, and often Part D. May include extras not covered by Medicare (dental, vision, hearing, fitness). Often features lower monthly premiums than Medigap, but may require in-network providers, prior authorizations, and referrals. Cost-sharing can be harder to predict.
- Choose Medigap if: You travel frequently and want any Medicare-accepting provider nationwide. You have chronic conditions requiring frequent care. You value predictable, capped out-of-pocket costs. You can afford higher monthly premiums in exchange for lower point-of-care costs.
- Choose Medicare Advantage if: You prefer lower monthly premiums. You have a primary care doctor you’d like to keep who is in an Advantage network. You want bundled dental/vision/hearing coverage. You are comfortable using in-network providers and navigating prior authorizations.
- Important Medigap timing rule: During your 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment (which begins when you’re both 65+ and enrolled in Part B), insurers cannot deny you coverage or charge higher premiums based on health. After this window closes, you may be subject to medical underwriting — and can be denied or charged more if you have pre-existing conditions.
- Review annually during Open Enrollment (Oct 15 – Dec 7). Plan networks, premiums, and formularies change each year. What worked well last year may not be the best fit this year.
Note for high earners: If you enroll in Medicare Advantage, you still pay the standard Part B premium (plus any IRMAA surcharge) directly to Medicare. The Advantage plan’s own premium is separate. IRMAA also applies to Part D if your Advantage plan includes drug coverage.
One of the most dangerous misconceptions in retirement planning is the belief that Medicare covers long-term care. It does not. Medicare covers short-term skilled nursing care following a qualifying hospital stay (and only up to 100 days, with significant cost-sharing after day 20). It does not cover custodial care — ongoing help with activities of daily living (bathing, dressing, eating, mobility) in a nursing home, memory care facility, assisted living community, or your own home.
This gap is enormous. The 2025 CareScout/Genworth Cost of Care Survey10 found:
- Private nursing home room: $10,965/month median ($131,580/year), up from prior years
- Semi-private nursing home room: $315/day median ($114,975/year)
- Assisted living community: $6,200/month median10, up 5% year-over-year
- Home health aide: ~$77,792/year nationally; costs vary significantly by state
- Costs are projected to reach $11,077/month for nursing home care by 2030. Healthcare inflation consistently outpaces general CPI.
- 70% of adults who turn 6514 today will need some form of long-term care during their lifetime (U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services)
- Average care duration is about 3 years — though the range is wide, with 20% needing care for more than 5 years
- Women generally need care longer than men; cognitive decline (Alzheimer’s, dementia) is the leading driver of extended care needs
- Medicaid does cover long-term care costs, but only after you have spent down most of your assets to qualify. Medicaid rules vary by state. This is not a preferred planning strategy — but it is the safety net for many Americans.
- Long-term care insurance (LTCI): Dedicated insurance that covers home care, assisted living, or nursing facilities once you cannot perform a set number of activities of daily living or have cognitive impairment. Premiums are significantly lower when purchased in your 50s vs. 60s+. Standalone LTCI policies have faced premium increases over the years; evaluate carefully and work with a specialist.
- Hybrid life / LTC policies: Combine a permanent life insurance death benefit with a long-term care rider. If you need care, the LTC benefit activates and draws down the death benefit. If you never need care, your heirs receive the death benefit. Eliminates the “use it or lose it” concern of standalone LTCI. Generally requires a larger upfront premium or single premium payment.
- Self-funding / earmarked savings: Some retirees set aside a dedicated pool of assets specifically for potential long-term care needs. Home equity (including a reverse mortgage) can also be a funding source of last resort. This approach requires sufficient assets and discipline to not spend the reserve on other things.
The best time to plan is now — regardless of your age. In your 30s–40s, build HSA reserves and investigate hybrid policies. In your 50s, get long-term care insurance quotes (premiums jump after 60). In your 60s, document your preferences for care and consider sharing your preferences with your family.
A Health Savings Account is considered one of the most tax-efficient healthcare savings tools available — and the earlier you start, the more it compounds. The 2026 contribution limits are $4,400 (individual) and $8,750 (family), with a $1,000 catch-up for age 55+6. To be eligible, you need to be enrolled in an HSA-compatible High Deductible Health Plan.
- Contribute the maximum and invest the balance in low-cost index funds. Do not treat it as a spending account — let it compound.
- Pay today’s medical expenses out of pocket when affordable. Save all receipts — there is no time limit on tax-free reimbursement from an HSA for prior qualified expenses.
- After age 65, HSA funds can be used for any purpose (taxed like traditional IRA withdrawals) — and remain permanently tax-free for qualified medical expenses including Medicare premiums.
- Open an HSA if you have an eligible plan. Max it out ($4,400 individual / $8,750 family in 2026) and invest the balance.
- Explore hybrid life/LTC insurance products for informational purposes — premiums are lowest in your 20s and 30s.
- Review Medicare enrollment basics so you’re not surprised by the rules at 65.
- Talk to an advisor. A HUB Retirement & Private Wealth advisor can help you build a healthcare savings strategy that works alongside your overall retirement plan.
Course Complete!
You now have the frameworks, strategies, and current data to build a sustainable retirement income plan — and prepare for healthcare costs with confidence. The next step is making it personal.
TALK TO A HUB RPW ADVISOR →Quarter 4 course coming soon.
All factual claims in this course are sourced from federal agency data, peer-reviewed research, or widely-cited industry reports. Sources are listed in order of first citation.
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[1]Wealthvieu. (2026). Average 401(k) Balance by Age 2026. Retrieved from wealthvieu.com Analysis citing Vanguard How America Saves 2024 and Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances data. Illustrative calculation: starting contributions of $500/month at age 22 vs. age 25 at a 7% average annual return produces approximately $193,000 more by age 65, demonstrating the compounding value of starting early.
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[2]Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. (2023). Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF), 2022. Washington, DC: Federal Reserve. Retrieved from federalreserve.gov Triennial survey of U.S. household wealth. Median retirement account balances by age group: under 35 = $18,880; 35–44 = $45,000; 45–54 = $115,000; 55–64 = $185,000.
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[3]Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI). (2024). 2024 Retirement Confidence Survey. Washington, DC: EBRI. Retrieved from ebri.org; and U.S. Department of Labor. (2023). Taking the Mystery Out of Retirement Planning. Washington, DC: DOL Employee Benefits Security Administration. Retrieved from dol.gov Widely cited salary-multiplier retirement benchmarks (1× salary by age 30, 3× by 40, 6× by 50, 8× by 60, 10× by 67) originate from industry-standard financial planning frameworks and are referenced by the DOL and EBRI in retirement readiness research. These targets assume a 15% savings rate, retirement at 67, and approximately 45% of pre-retirement income replaced from personal savings; Social Security covers the remainder.
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[4]Morningstar Investment Management. (2025, December 3). State of Retirement Income: 2025 Edition. Chicago, IL: Morningstar, Inc. Retrieved from morningstar.com Annual forward-looking study of safe starting withdrawal rates using Monte Carlo simulations. 2026 base-case safe withdrawal rate: 3.9% for a 30-year horizon, 30%–50% equity portfolio, 90% probability of not depleting assets. Research also confirms that retirees who experienced poor returns in the first five years of retirement had significantly worse outcomes (sequence-of-returns risk).
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[5]Internal Revenue Service (IRS) / SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022. (2025–2026). Catch-up contribution rules for retirement plans: SECURE 2.0 provisions effective 2026. Retrieved from irs.gov SECURE 2.0 provisions effective January 1, 2026: (1) Super catch-up for ages 60–63: $11,250 in lieu of standard $8,000 for 401(k)/403(b)/governmental 457 plans (total possible: $35,750). (2) Mandatory Roth catch-up rule: participants earning more than $150,000 in prior-year W-2 wages from the plan sponsor may be required to make 2026 catch-up contributions on a Roth (after-tax) basis if the plan offers Roth. Source: IRS Notice 2025-67; Mercer Advisors 2026 contribution limits guide.
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[6]Internal Revenue Service (IRS). (2025, November 13). Notice 2025-67: 2026 retirement plan contribution limits and cost-of-living adjustments. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Treasury. Retrieved from irs.gov Official IRS announcement of 2026 limits: 401(k) $24,500; catch-up age 50+ $8,000; super catch-up ages 60–63 $11,250; IRA $7,500; IRA catch-up age 50+ $1,100; HSA individual $4,400; HSA family $8,750; HSA catch-up age 55+ $1,000.
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[7]Internal Revenue Service (IRS). (2025, November 13). Notice 2025-67: IRA and Roth IRA income phase-out ranges for 2026. Retrieved from irs.gov and confirmed by Vanguard. (2026). Roth IRA income and contribution limits for 2026. Retrieved from investor.vanguard.com 2026 Roth IRA income phase-out: $153,000–$168,000 (single/head of household); $242,000–$252,000 (married filing jointly). Traditional IRA deductibility phase-out (covered by workplace plan): $81,000–$91,000 (single); $129,000–$149,000 (married filing jointly, contributing spouse covered).
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[8]Social Security Administration (SSA). (2026). Social Security: Understanding the Benefits. Publication No. 05-10024. Washington, DC: SSA. Retrieved from ssa.gov Social Security is designed to replace approximately 40% of an average earner’s pre-retirement income. Higher earners receive a lower replacement percentage; lower earners receive a higher one due to the progressive benefit formula.
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[9]Social Security Administration (SSA). (2026). Retirement Benefits: How You Become Eligible, How Much You Receive, and When to Start. Washington, DC: SSA. Retrieved from ssa.gov Official SSA guidance: Full Retirement Age (FRA) = 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later (effective 2026). Delayed retirement credits: 8% per year for each year past FRA up to age 70. 2026 earnings test thresholds: $24,480 (under FRA, $1 withheld per $2 over limit); $65,160 (year of FRA, $1 per $3 over limit). Medicare eligibility unchanged at 65.
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[10]CareScout (formerly Genworth Financial). (2026, March). 2025 Cost of Care Survey. Richmond, VA: CareScout. Retrieved from investor.genworth.com National median costs (2025 survey data, published March 2026): Private nursing home room $10,965/month ($131,580/year); semi-private room $315/day ($114,975/year); assisted living $6,200/month ($74,400/year). Data collected July–November 2025 from providers nationwide.
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[11]U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE). (2024). Projected Medicare Beneficiary Out-of-Pocket Costs and the Role of Supplemental Coverage. Washington, DC: HHS/ASPE. Retrieved from aspe.hhs.gov; and Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI). (2024). Savings Medicare Beneficiaries Need for Health Expenses: 2024 Update. EBRI Issue Brief No. 586. Retrieved from ebri.org EBRI’s 2024 research estimates that a 65-year-old couple with median drug expenses may need $315,000 or more in savings to cover Medicare premiums, supplemental insurance premiums, and out-of-pocket costs throughout retirement with a 90% probability of having sufficient funds. This figure does not include long-term care expenses. The HHS/ASPE analysis corroborates the scale of projected healthcare costs for Medicare beneficiaries.
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[12]Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). (2025, November 14). 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles. Baltimore, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved from cms.gov Standard 2026 Part B premium: $202.90/month (up from $185.00 in 2025). Annual Part B deductible: $283. Part A: $0 premium for most beneficiaries with 40+ quarters of Medicare-covered employment.
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[13]Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) / Internal Revenue Service (IRS). (2025, November). 2026 Medicare Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amounts (IRMAA). Retrieved from cms.gov 2026 IRMAA threshold: $109,000 single / $218,000 married filing jointly (based on 2024 MAGI). IRMAA uses a 2-year lookback. Tier 1 surcharge: Part B +$81.20/mo; Part D +$14.50/mo. Highest tier: Part B +$487.00/mo. Filing SSA-44 to appeal is available for qualifying life-changing events.
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[14]U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). (2024). Long-Term Care: What Is It and How Do You Prepare? Washington, DC: HHS. Retrieved from acl.gov Official government estimate: Someone turning 65 today has a 70% chance of needing some type of long-term care during their lifetime. Women need care an average of 3.7 years; men an average of 2.2 years. About 20% of people will need care for more than 5 years.
2026 Retirement Rundown
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