All posts tagged: paycheck

How To Convert Your 401(k) Into A Reliable Monthly Paycheck

How To Convert Your 401(k) Into A Reliable Monthly Paycheck

Published by Jenni Sidey

Authored by Adam H. Douglas via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), Yes, you can turn your 401(k) into a predictable monthly paycheck in retirement. The key is to move from the accumulation phase to a structured distribution strategy. Many retirees combine systematic withdrawals, dividend-producing investments, and guaranteed income sources such as annuities. Smart planning can turn your 401(k) balance into a predictable cash flow. Ladanifer/Shutterstock By balancing these tools and managing withdrawal rates carefully, you can convert a fluctuating retirement account balance into a steady income stream that helps cover monthly living expenses throughout retirement. Why the Distribution Phase Matters During your working years, your focus is simple: build the largest retirement account balance possible. Contributions, employer matches, and market growth drive the accumulation phase. Once you stop working, your 401(k) must shift from a growth vehicle into an income engine. Instead of asking, “How big is my account balance?” the better question becomes, “How much income can this generate each month?” Without a clear strategy, withdrawals can become inconsistent and risky. Market downturns early …

TSA miss first paycheck of shutdown as Senate bickers over DHS funding

TSA miss first paycheck of shutdown as Senate bickers over DHS funding

Published by Sam Flores

A debate over immigration and ending the Department of Homeland Security shutdown spilled over onto the Senate floor late Wednesday, as Transportation Security Administration agents are among the DHS employees who will miss their first full paychecks this week. Airports have recently buckled under the funding gap, with travelers suffering through long lines at security checkpoints as agents call out of work rather than toil without pay. The rhetorical battle on the Senate floor that resulted in no changes came weeks into a shutdown at DHS that began Feb. 14. Democrats are demanding new restrictions on immigration enforcement as a condition for funding the agency, after two U.S. citizens were shot and killed by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis. Republicans — backed by President Donald Trump — are not interested in policy changes as a condition of funding the agency. Read more CNBC politics coverage Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., proposed funding only the TSA, Coast Guard, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, while lawmakers continue to debate funding for Immigration …

More Workers Are Getting Peanut Butter Raises

More Workers Are Getting Peanut Butter Raises

Published by Jenni Sidey

For many workers who are holding out hope that 2026 may be the year of finally getting a well-deserved raise at work, it seems it might be happening, just not in the way people had hoped. As a money-saving measure, companies are using peanut butter raises to avoid actual cost of living pay increases or even merit-based pay bumps. According to the 2026 “Pay Increase Preview Report” from PayScale, researchers sought to provide one of the clearest views into how organizations are approaching salary increases, merit pay, and across-the-board raises for the year ahead. What they found is that while employees are getting raises at their jobs, the way they’re being compensated isn’t exactly making much difference in their take-home amount. More workers are getting peanut butter raises in 2026. Andrii Iemelianenko | Shutterstock The report found that many companies are shifting to “peanut butter raises” for their employees. Otherwise known as across-the-board pay, it means all employees are given a similar, usually modest, raise regardless of their individual performance. Career coach Colleen Paulson explained the …