It’s Friday, and you know what that means — Q&A day! We tackled five great listener questions, starting with a deep dive into why that seemingly “safe” $71,000 annuity actually shortchanges you compared to a basic 4% Treasury ladder or a modest balanced portfolio. Then we crunched the numbers on HSAs and proved that investing the tax savings can indeed leave you ahead — despite what your accountant might say. Municipal bonds made an appearance, too, as we broke down the breakeven math for different tax brackets. A retiree asked whether to realize capital gains or convert to a Roth — and spoiler alert: his instincts were spot-on. Finally, we wrapped with a listener concerned about owning small-cap value in retirement, and we emphasized the importance of building a balanced portfolio, not just collecting investments from headlines.

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