Nik Modi Analyst Performance

Having $2.5 million saved puts you ahead of most Americans, but how long it lasts depends on the decisions you make with it. Using the 4% rule as a benchmark, that balance could translate to about $100,000 in year one, adjusted upward for inflation each year after. But the 4% rule has potential downsides and may not fit every portfolio. A financial advisor can help size and structure a retirement budget around your income sources, taxes, and goals. SmartAsset's free quiz matches nearly 50,000 people each month with vetted fiduciary advisors.

National debt just crossed 40 trillion dollars, and Elon Musk says America is 1,000% going to go bankrupt without major changes. As former head of the Department of Government Efficiency under President Trump, Musk saw firsthand how looming spending cuts could rattle markets and squeeze 401ks, IRAs, and TSPs. A preserved IRS provision may help everyday investors shield their retirement savings before the next wave of volatility hits.

George Gilder believes today's AI data centers could become tomorrow's typewriters - replaced by a single wafer-scale chip that does in minutes what current AI needs days to finish. Unlike conventional chips cut from silicon wafers, this technology uses the entire wafer as one giant chip, running on a fraction of the power. Gilder won't name the company publicly, but he's ready to hand it over.