As retirement gets closer, some of your most important financial decisions happen before your final paycheck ever arrives. In this episode of Money Matters with Deb and Lori, Deb Christensen and Lori Hancock break down the 2026 catch-up contribution rules, Roth requirements for higher earners, and why simply “maxing out” a retirement account may not always be the right answer.

They also explore tax diversification, hidden portfolio overlap, rebalancing, emergency savings, withdrawal planning, and inherited IRA rules. The big takeaway: retirement planning works best when taxes, investments, income, healthcare, liquidity, and timing are coordinated together—not handled as separate decisions.