About

Money at the Kitchen Table answers the money questions families actually talk about at the kitchen table: when to claim Social Security, what happens to a 401(k) when a parent dies, whether you can afford to retire, and what to do when the checks don't look right.

Who writes it

The articles are written by Henry Collins (a pen name). I've written more than 300 articles about retirement, pensions, and family money for a general audience, read by around 10,000 people a day.

What I do is the homework most people don't have time for: read the official rules, run the numbers, and explain them in plain English.

How every number is checked

• Figures come from official sources — the Social Security Administration, IRS, Medicare, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics — and each article links to them.
• When I calculate something myself, the article shows the math so you can check it.
• Rules and dollar amounts that change every year are marked with the year and updated.
• Stories in articles are composites of common situations, and they're labeled that way.
• Nothing here is a recommendation to buy or sell anything.

Found a mistake?

Email hello@moneyatthekitchentable.com. Corrections get fixed and dated.