Headlines
Politics and COLA – Thoughts on Changing the Formula
Michael Wald, an independent economics analyst and writer and retired U.S. Department of Labor Regional Director, takes a detailed look at various inflation indicators and how their adoption in the Social Security COLA calculation process would affect benefits. The article, titled…
Santorum Weighs In on Social Security Reform
2016 Presidential candidate Rick Santorum, speaking at a a campaign stop in Muscatine, Iowa, called for “a new and more fair way to deal with Social Security.” Referring to the program as an “entitlement,” he cited increases in life expectancy as…
Common Mistakes to Avoid with Social Security
A few recent reports have shown that many people applying for Social Security or nearing retirement age are making a few common mistakes that are easily avoidable. These mistakes are compounded with the recent change in rules in claiming benefits.…
Life Expectancy and Social Security
Life expectancy among the current population is rising higher and higher with advancements in health care and living conditions. This is a good thing, but it does put a strain on Social Security that now has to stretch farther than…
The Importance of Merging Retirement Accounts
Whether its procrastination or a simple misunderstanding of the final consequences of leaving retirement accounts stranded, individuals approaching their retirement years need to take steps to take maximize the value of the savings they’ve accumulated along the way. A recent Boston Research…
Carolyn Colvin on Social Security Today and in the Future
Acting Social Security Commissioner Carolyn Colvin Keynoted a joint Brookings Institute Retirement Security Project-Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)-Social Security Administration (SSA) symposium focused on retirement planning and the information seniors need to make appropriate decisions as this life-phase approaches. During the course of the session,…
Restricted Application–The Other Disappearing Option
Most of the media attention focusing on the implications of the “budget deal” has centered on file-and-suspend, but there is a second key strategy slated to vanish from the option list in May of 2016. In an article titled ” The Key…
When to Apply for Social Security
Many Americans make the mistake of applying for benefits at too young of an age, leaving a lot of money on the table. A recent study was put out with an accompanying tool to help retirees figure out the best…
Benefits Paid to the Deceased and Other Mistakes
A recent report showed that the Social Security Administration was paying out benefits to the deceased to the tune of $46.8 million. This same report showed a wave of fraud that went unnoticed before losing millions as well as a…
How Millennials are Saving for Retirement
Millennials are starting to take the hint from the older generations and investing early as per their advice. They are now investing and saving at an age younger than those generations before them. Millennials on average start investing around age…