February 2026

US. Bitcoin price meltdown leaves these public pensions down 60% on Strategy bets

US pension funds that bet on Strategy find themselves nursing some heavy losses as share prices for Michael Saylor’s firm continue to slide. The 11 funds collectively hold nearly 1.8 million shares of Strategy, now worth about $240 million, down from $577 million when they first reported their allocations. That’s $337 million in paper losses so far, according to research platform Fintel. Moreover, 10 out of the 11 funds are down 60% on their Strategy stock buys. Strategy’s shares have lost...

US. More than Half of Recent Retirees Have Regrets About How They Saved for Retirement

For millions of Americans who retired in the last five years, the transition from earning a paycheck to living off savings brings an uncomfortable reality check: many wish they did things differently, according to a new Advisor Authority study, powered by the Nationwide Retirement Institute. More than half (55%) of recent retirees (those retired in the last five years) say they have regrets about how they saved for retirement. More than a quarter (28%) wish they began saving earlier, and...

US. Mark Levine’s Priorities at the NYC Pension System

New York City Comptroller Mark Levine wants to increase the city’s pension investments in affordable housing, and will not slow down on the city’s sustainability initiatives, Levine said in an interview with CIO.  As comptroller, Levine oversees the five New York City pension systems—the Teachers’ Retirement System, Employees Retirement System, Police Pension Fund, Fire Pension Fund, and the Board of Education Retirement System—which collectively manage $311.35 billion in assets. “My No. 1 obligation in this role is to protect the retirement assets of the three-quarters of a million people who...

US. Trump is pushing to include risky assets like crypto and private equity in 401(k)s

In an executive order dated August 7, 2025, President Trump called for a reexamination of regulations and guidance for retirement plans. Trump asked regulators to encourage retirement plan administrators to include risky options like alternative assets (or “alts”) in 401(k) and similar retirement plans. Alternative assets could be funds invested in private equity and cryptocurrencies, assets that lack strict regulation and whose value and risk can be hard to assess compared with other types of investments. Because of this, many consider...

January 2026

US. Congress Racing to Avoid Shutdown: What It Means for Retirement Plans

President Trump and Senate Democrats reportedly reached a funding agreement on Thursday night to avoid a partial government shutdown, but a lot of elements need to fall into place in a very short period to avoid a shutdown. According to Politico, Trump and the Democrats have agreed to separate out the Department of Homeland Security (which includes Immigration and Customs Enforcement) from the larger spending bill moving through Congress, and approve that bill, along with a short-term continuing resolution to...

US. South Dakota Bill Eyes Bitcoin for State Funds

This is a sign of how digital assets are edging closer to mainstream finance in the United States. This debate offers a clear window into how Bitcoin is starting to look less like a fringe bet and more like a strategic reserve asset at the state level. What the South Dakota Bill Actually Does The new proposal in South Dakota would allow the State Investment Council to allocate up to 10% of eligible public funds into Bitcoin, including pensions, trusts, and endowments that together...

6 Retirement Must-Knows for 2026

In 2026, you can contribute $7,500 to an IRA if you’re under age 50 and $8,600 if you’re over 50, and contribute $24,500 to a company retirement plan if you’re under age 50 and $32,500 if you’re 50 and above. The super catch-up contribution limit has increased to $35,750 for 2026. For 2025, they found 3.9% to be the starting safe withdrawal rate, but you can get closer to 6% if you’re willing to use a strategy that’s...

US. When Texas messes with pensions, firefighters, teachers and cops get burned

Twenty years ago, I entered the service feeling like most rookie firemen: invincible. The furthest thing from any new recruit’s mind is retirement, but before long, the high stress, heavy lifting, hazardous conditions and 24-hour shifts begin to catch up with even the strongest among us. For all our emergency preparedness training, the fire academy does not teach financial management, leaving most firefighters ill-equipped to plan for retirement. And with the average firefighter retiring in their fifties — significantly before the average...

US. Congress Interest on Use of 401(k) Remains

Congressional interest in the rumored 401(k)-housing proposal remains, even though President Trump has backed away from it. Freshman Rep. John McGuire (R-Va.) on Jan. 21 introduced the Home Savings Act (H.R. 7185) to remove penalties (and taxes) for withdrawing from a 401(k) account when the money is used for closing costs and down payments associated with purchasing a home. “Too many Americans are becoming lifelong renters,” Rep. McGuire said in a release. “This bill will pave the way for removing financial barriers to home...

US. Congress Could Raise Social Security’s $184,500 Tax Cap Without Cutting Benefits

When discussions about Social Security's future arise, many assume the only options involve cutting benefits or raising taxes. But Congress has multiple ways to adjust how benefits are calculated that can strengthen the program's finances without reducing monthly checks current or future retirees receive. Understanding these mechanisms helps clarify what legislative changes might mean for your retirement income. The Benefit Formula That Determines Your Monthly Check Social Security doesn't simply pay everyone the same amount in retirement. Instead, the program uses...