Why retirees aren't selling in 2026

Good afternoon. Your house is one of the biggest financial calls you'll ever make. Today's issue is a gut check to help you get ahead of every major decision that comes with it.

On The Money Today:

Let's get into it.

Owning rental property used to mean late-night maintenance calls and chasing down tenants for rent. These days you can get the income and appreciation without any of that, some options starting at just $10. A few of these are worth a look before you write your next check to a landlord.

One phone call was all it took to unravel Dahiana Ponce's plan to finally buy a home. The scammers never hacked anything, they simply convinced her to move the money herself, which is exactly why banks say it's nearly impossible to get back. There's one thing a real bank will never ask you to do, and knowing it could save your savings.

Selling seems obvious once the kids are gone and the stairs get old, especially with home values where they are. But a little-known Medicare rule is quietly punishing retirees who cash out, sometimes hitting them two years after the sale closes. The surcharge catches people off guard almost every time.

The answer is: C) 2.5 years' worth — according to the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, retirees spend roughly 10% of their annual income each year on surprise costs like home repairs, medical bills, and helping out family. Stretched across a typical 25-year retirement, that adds up to about two and a half years' worth of income spent on things nobody planned for.