Insurance is weird. Let’s unpack it.

Honest education with a dash of sarcasm. Plain answers on life insurance, retirement, taxes and estate planning.

Conceptual illustration of an oversized DENIED stamp above policy documents, with a miniature ladder and magnifying glass.

Life Insurance · The big read

Why Life Insurance Claims Get Denied—and What You Can Do

Your policy has fine print. Your family deserves fewer surprises. Learn common reasons for denials and what to do next.

2 min read

Dates that matter

Dec 7 · Medicare switch Medicare Open Enrollment ends. Your plan has to get your change by Dec. 7.
Dec 31 · RMD deadline Required minimum distributions are due, except your very first one.
Jan 15 · ACA enrollment HealthCare.gov Open Enrollment ends. Pick by Dec. 15 for coverage that starts Jan. 1.

What are you trying to figure out?

I’m reading my policyWhat the fine print in a life policy actually means.My claim got deniedCommon reasons claims get denied, and what to do next.I’m planning retirementAnnuities, 401(k)s, RMDs and the dates that matter.I want a smaller tax billDeductions, accounts and rules, in plain English.

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All stories

A yellow-and-black retractable tape measure extended across a white surface, with the numbers clearly visible.

Your term length: measured in years, sold in marketing slogans.Life Insurance

10, 20 or 30 Years: Picking a Term Length Is Basically Predicting When Your Kids Stop Eating Your Food

Nov 6, 2026 · 6 min read

A black-and-white spaniel sitting on a carpet wearing a black suit jacket and a striped necktie.

The heir apparent, dressed for the reading of the will.Life Insurance

Your Dog Can't Cash a Check: Life Insurance and Annuities for Pet Owners

Nov 5, 2026 · 7 min read

A station exit with a tall metal full-height turnstile next to a gate marked with signs reading Exit through turnstile only and Emergency exit only, with an Out sign overhead and stairs leading up to it.

You can leave any time you like. The turnstile has opinions about how.Retirement

Annuity Surrender Charges, Explained: The Gym-Membership Cancellation Fee of Retirement Money (Now With Math)

Nov 5, 2026 · 7 min read

Still useful

More evergreen

Close-up of the Rosetta Stone at the British Museum, its dark granite face covered in carved lines of hieroglyphic, Demotic and Greek text.

The original jargon decoder. Took scholars about 20 years. This page takes five minutes.Taxes

26 Financial Terms Explained: Your No-Nonsense Guide to Money Matters

Jan 8, 2025 · 3 min read

An open treasure chest overflowing with gold coins and jewelry, with a skull beside it.

The inheritance. The skull is what happens when nobody reads the trust.Retirement

The Ultimate Guide to Not Blowing Your Inheritance: Combining Annuities and Spendthrift Trusts Like a Financial Ninja

Jan 8, 2025 · 3 min read

Close-up of a cream wool blanket with a brown plaid pattern.

The security blanket. Moth holes sold separately, fine print included.Retirement

Annuities: Your Financial Security Blanket (Without the Moth Holes)

Jan 6, 2025 · 3 min read

Browse the archive

The sections

Browse everything

Life Insurance

the “just in case” department

10, 20 or 30 Years: Picking a Term Length Is Basically Predicting When Your Kids Stop Eating Your Food Your Dog Can't Cash a Check: Life Insurance and Annuities for Pet Owners No-Exam Life Insurance: You Skip the Needle, They Skip the Discount More in Life Insurance

Retirement

don’t outlive your money

Annuity Surrender Charges, Explained: The Gym-Membership Cancellation Fee of Retirement Money (Now With Math)Medigap vs Medicare Advantage: Pay Now or Pay Later, Pick Your Pain (and Pick Carefully, Because U-Turns Cost Extra)Medigap Plan G: The Letter Retirees Gush About Like a Celebrity Crush (and the One Bill It Still Hands You) More in Retirement

Taxes

keep the IRS calm

Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum? Picking an ACA Health Plan Is the Only Medal Ceremony Where You Pay for the Medal The Subsidy Cliff Is Back (and It Didn’t Even Send a Postcard): Your ACA Open Enrollment 2027 Survival Guide HSA vs FSA in 2026: The Alphabet Soup Your Benefits Packet Forgot to Translate More in Taxes

Estate Planning

no family feud

When Death Do Us Part Meets Debt Do Us Start: A Guide to Not Inheriting Your Spouse's Financial Baggage Why You Need to Name Beneficiaries (Unless You Love Family Drama) More in Estate Planning

Letters to the editor

Got a question about your policy, your 401(k), or that letter from the IRS? Send it in. A licensed human reads every one, and the good ones become articles, with your name left out.