Free guides · no signup
Guides
The long reads behind the calculators — same philosophy as the Tesserae app: real math, plain English, and honesty about what the numbers can't know. Each guide pairs with a live tool so you can run your own version of it.
The bridge to 59½
How to retire before 59½ without the penalty: Roth contributions, the conversion ladder, 72(t), and the Rule of 55 — each with its honest catch.
The flavors of FIRE
Lean, Fat, Coast, Barista: five versions of "retire early" with very different numbers — and why picking a label matters less than checking your own.
The Roth conversion ladder, honestly
The five-year seasoning, the low-bracket window, and the arithmetic that decides when the ladder beats simply paying the 10% penalty.
The projected 2033 Social Security cut
The trustees project ~78% of benefits payable unless Congress acts. What that does and doesn’t mean — and how to stress-test it in your own plan.
This is one small piece of the picture
A guide gives you the map. Tesserae models the territory — every account, taxes on withdrawals, Social Security, Roth conversions, RMDs, and the odds your money actually lasts. Privacy-first: you enter your own numbers, and we never touch your bank login.