Available Now — eBook, Audiobook, Paperback & Hardcover
The Essential 401(k) & IRA Retirement Guide
by Susan Delaney (pen name) · Book 1 of the Essential Retirement Guide series
A practical guide to understanding your retirement accounts, avoiding costly mistakes, and building a stronger long-term plan — before and after you retire.
Also available in paperback & hardcover, and through Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Google Play, Waterstones, Thalia & more — pick your favorite store.
Smarter Retirement Planning Starts Here
Simple, practical guides to help you understand Social Security, 401(k)s, taxes, and retirement income—so you can make confident financial decisions.
Build Your Retirement Plan Step by Step
The Essential Retirement Guide Series breaks retirement planning into simple, focused topics—so you can build your strategy one step at a time without overwhelm.
Start with one guide—or explore the full series.
The Essential 401(k) &
IRA Retirement Guide
Now Available
$2.99 eBook · $12.99 Audiobook
Also in paperback & hardcover – Shop all stores
The Essential Social Security
Retirement Guide
Now Available
$4.99 eBook · $12.99 Audiobook
Also in paperback – Shop all stores
The Essential Retirement
Tax Strategy Guide
Now Available
$4.99 eBook · $12.99 Audiobook
Also in paperback – Shop all stores
The Essential Retirement
Income Blueprint
Now Available
$4.99 eBook · Coming Soon Audiobook
The Essential Medicare
Planning Guide
coming soon
The Essential Early
Retirement Blueprint
coming soon
The Essential Retirement
Healthcare Guide
coming soon
The Essential Retirement
Housing Guide
coming soon
Not Sure Where to Start?
Start with the 401(k) & IRA Guide to build your foundation, then explore Social Security, taxes, and income planning as you move closer to retirement.
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Retirement Planning Made Clear, Practical, and Actionable
About Essential Retirement Guide
Most retirement advice online answers one question at a time — how to claim Social Security, when to convert to a Roth — with nothing tying the pieces together. Essential Retirement Guide is an eight-part series built to close that gap, one guide per topic. Four are available now, with four more on the way. Every guide is grounded in official IRS, Social Security Administration, and Medicare guidance, and every source is cited in the back of the book — so you’re not just taking our word for it.
The series is published by Essential Retirement Guide, an independent publisher. A human editor checks the figures against IRS, Social Security Administration and Medicare sources before anything goes live. "Susan Delaney" is the pen name the books are published under. How we make them, AI use included, is explained on our About page.
A note from the editor
I run this publishing project independently. No ad money, no sponsors, no bank or fund paying to be mentioned. I’m not a financial advisor and I won’t pretend to be one. What I do is read the IRS and Social Security rules so you don’t have to, write them up in plain English, and put the sources at the back of every book so you can check my work. If I’ve got something wrong, tell me and I’ll fix it.
The editor
Essential Retirement Guide
Guides to Help You Make Smarter Retirement Decisions
Simple, practical insights to help you avoid mistakes and plan with confidence.
What Is a Safe Withdrawal Strategy for Retirement?
Should You Prioritise Your 401(k) or IRA? How to Decide Where to Put Your Money
How to Roll Over Your Old Employer 401(k) Into an IRA: A Step-by-Step Guide
How Inflation Impacts Retirement Savings
Start Building a Smarter Retirement Strategy Today
Avoid costly mistakes and build a clearer path to retirement—one step at a time.
Explore the series, get practical tools, and take control of your financial future—one step at a time.
The sooner you start, the more control you have over your financial future.