Headlines
Consider this new Social Security change as a necessary evil
With a new year comes changes. The majority of Social Security recipients are now aware of their new monthly benefit; if not, you will soon. The new amount is due to the 2.8 percent cost-of-living adjustment, COLA, along with the…
This year’s federal tax filing, are you ready?
It is that time of the year again, when we start gathering all our documentation to file our Federal income taxes. This year, the conversation around taxes on Social Security benefits will be impactful to all seniors. It’s well understood…
Root Cause Analysis: The SS Trust Fund Shortfall
As we have heralded on this website for years, the Social Security Trust Funds are facing a financial crisis in about the year 2033. That is the point, on current course, that the Trust Funds will be fully depleted, necessitating…
2025 saw lowest inflation in 5 years, but seniors are still struggling!
The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is the government’s watchdog for inflation, and BLS recently announced that the 2025 actual inflation rate was 2.7% – the lowest since the year 2020. Lower inflation is, of course, a good sign,…
The wisdom (or not) of delaying Social Security
Most retirement planners will tell you that you can get a much higher monthly benefit by waiting longer to claim your Social Security. But some advisors do actually suggest claiming earlier to get the SS money sooner, for several reasons.…
Imagine No Social Security
In 1971, the iconic song writer Jon Lennon penned the lyrics to his famous song “Imagine,” asking us to picture a world in total peace and harmony. Although it was a call to imagine what life would be like in…
When are most people claiming Social Security?
When do most Americans claim their Social Security benefit? That’s an interesting question, but the answer should form the basis of when you personally claim your SS benefits, because everyone’s situation is different. Although it might be interesting to know…
Analyzing the “Trump Accounts,” Their Challenges and Potential
The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” brought a slew of welcome benefits for seniors, from relief from some of the tax burden on Social Security benefits, to income tax relief for workers with tip income, to the temporary ability to…
Assessing the Implications of the Full Retirement Age (Hint: It’s not as simple as you think)
Reaching full retirement age (FRA)–the age at which a claimant can receive the full amount of their earned Social Security retirement benefit–was historically thought to be age 65. And it was…at least until the Social Amendments of 1983. A series…
A Common Sense Approach to Social Security Reform?
In a well-written, somewhat light-hearted, but nonetheless timely and realistic discussion, Stanford Magazine writer Summer Moore Batte summarizes the thinking of two scholars on how to address Social Security’s rapidly approaching financial cliff. In her news.stanford.edu post, Ms. Batte captures…