Headlines
Separating Fact from Fiction: 7 Common Misconceptions on Social Security
The Social Security Administration reports 63 million Americans will receive benefits in 2018. This article by U.S. News contributor Rachel Hartman addresses issues like, will my benefit be enough to live on? Should I take my benefit as early as possible? …
Social Security benefits are becoming a favorite target of identity thieves
Social Security benefits are becoming a favorite target of identity thieves. You are a potential victim whether or not you’re already receiving benefits. The Inspector General’s report in 2015 sampled data from 2013 and found that about $20 million in…
How your Social Security claiming decision affects your payout
Today, the Social Security program provides more than three out of five seniors at least half of their income, and 34 percent of retired workers essentially rely on Social Security for all of their monthly income. Because of its importance, deciding…
Fichtner on Social Security: Crisis is at our Doorstep
The Mercatus Center’s Jason Fichtner, a fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center and senior lecturer at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, today sounded the alarm for corrective action to address Social Security’s solvency problem, noting that…
Social Security Strategies: Understanding the “Break-Even” Analysis
The question of when to file for Social Security benefits is one of the most daunting decision points folks aging into Social Security face, and it’s predominantly a personal one based on individual factors. For example, when do you need…
Social Security Taxation and Tax Reform–A Missed Opportunity?
Tax reform enacted late last year brought with it a number of well-received economic incentives, but one thing it didn’t do was address the issue of taxation of Social Security benefits. In an article posted today on www.fool.com, The Motley…
Fixing Social Security: Agreements and Disagreements
It’s apparent that there is fairly universal agreement on the need to “fix” Social Security. This point was driven home once again by the program’s 2018 Trustees Report, with its repeated warning to Congress that “time is running out.” Ctnewsjunkie…
Despite the headlines, Medicare isn’t going broke
Since the Trustees’ report was released yesterday, many headlines have declared “Medicare Going Broke!!!”, or something similar. But, according to this Forbes article by Howard Gleckman, that is just so much hyperbole because the program isn’t going broke at all;…
The 2018 Social Security Trustees Report
The Trustees have released their 2018 report on the financial status of Social Security, a critical program relied upon by more than 62 million Americans for income during their retirement or disability. The good news is that things have not worsened…
Social Security’s “special issue” investments; very special indeed
Social Security’s Trust Fund, now holding reserves of over $2.9 trillion, is the financial repository for all monies used to pay current (and future) monthly benefits to America’s 62 million Social Security beneficiaries. The money in the Trust Fund earns interest which, in addition to income received…