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For those who think Social Security is a political “ponzi scheme”
All of us who live in the complex world of Social Security from time to time hear someone ranting about Social Security “going bankrupt”. If they’re younger, they lament that it surely won’t be there when it’s time for them…
The Nagging Question…When Must You Supply Your Social Security Number?
We’re in a time where database breaches resulting in the release of personal data–most notably Social Security numbers–has become fairly commonplace. And there’s no question about the vulnerability that arises from those breaches…whether it’s a situation as broad as the…
Planning on Working in Retirement? What if You Can’t?
The statistics are impressive: 79% of future retirees expecting to hold a job in their retirement years, for example. For some, working fills a social need; for others it fills an economic need. And for still others, having this as…
The “Retirement Savings Crisis”–And What to do About It
It seems like just about everyday there’s a new account of how far behind the savings curve those approaching retirement are. Some news accounts label this more serious than our country’s health care crisis, while others refer to it as “a…
The 2019 COLA increase: An early prognostication
Although it’s far to early to predict with any certainty what Social Security’s 2019 COLA increase might be, Motley Fool’s Sean Williams nevertheless speculates what might happen in the future. The actual COLA number isn’t determined until mid-October because it’s based upon…
The hidden reason Congress may act on Social Security
It’s pretty well known that Social Security has financial issues which will cause the program to cut benefits by up to 23% in 2034 if Congress takes no action to fix the issue. To a large extent, these financial woes have…
Stop making excuses and start saving for retirement now!
It’s a sad commentary that about 42% of Americans have less than $10,000 saved for retirement and about 14% have no retirement savings set aside at all. Sure it’s hard when you’re trying to make ends meet to put money…
Starved for funding, SSA struggles to provide good service
Even in the face of severely increased demand fueled by the wave of baby boomers retiring daily, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has been, for years, suffering budget restrictions which strain their ability to provide high quality service. Literally hundreds…
Survivors being short-changed by Social Security mistakes
A recent report by Social Security’s Inspector General found that, in many cases, Social Security office staff are failing to properly alert survivors to all the benefit options available to them. As a result, so far over 9000 survivors have…
Budget cuts mean long Social Security wait times
Mandated budget cuts since 2010 mean that there are about 3,500 fewer employees at the Social Security Administration than there were seven years ago, and that translates to longer wait times both on the phone and for visits to your local…