Timeline: Kiplinger's Retirement Report Turns 25
From the Retirement Protection Act to tax reform, much has changed for retirees over the past quarter-century.
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Twenty-five years ago, Kiplinger's Retirement Report launched to help readers enjoy a richer retirement. Our first issue, published in February 1994, offered guidance on timely issues of the day, such as how to take advantage of the home-sale-profit exclusion (then $125,000) and how to comply with new rules that for the first time required a receipt for charitable donations of $250 or more. Some advice, such as how to figure tax on Social Security benefits, proved to be evergreen.
This timeline notes just some of the significant retirement issues that we have covered in the past quarter-century.
1994
The Retirement Protection Act expands efforts to find missing pension-plan participants.
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1998
Roth IRAs become available.
2000
Social Security earnings test removed for those at full retirement age or older.
2003
Congress creates Part D prescription-drug benefit for Medicare, which hits the marketplace in 2006.
2006
Pension Protection Act encourages auto enrollment in 401(k)s and creates IRA qualified charitable distribution rules.
2009
Required minimum distributions from retirement accounts waived one year only as a result of the 2007-09 financial crisis.
2012
Labor Department beefs up 401(k) fee disclosures.
2014
Qualified longevity annuity contracts created.
2015
Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 nixes some Social Security claiming strategies.
2018
Major overhaul of tax law takes effect, including nearly doubling the standard deduction to lowering tax rates.
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SEP IRA Contribution Limits for 2026SEP IRA A good option for small business owners, SEP IRAs allow individual annual contributions of as much as $70,000 in 2025, and up to $72,000 in 2026.
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Roth IRA Contribution Limits for 2026Roth IRAs Roth IRAs allow you to save for retirement with after-tax dollars while you're working, and then withdraw those contributions and earnings tax-free when you retire. Here's a look at 2026 limits and income-based phaseouts.
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SIMPLE IRA Contribution Limits for 2026simple IRA For 2026, the SIMPLE IRA contribution limit rises to $17,000, with a $4,000 catch-up for those 50 and over, totaling $21,000.
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457 Contribution Limits for 2024retirement plans State and local government workers can contribute more to their 457 plans in 2024 than in 2023.
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Roth 401(k) Contribution Limits for 2026retirement plans The Roth 401(k) contribution limit for 2026 has increased, and workers who are 50 and older can save even more.
