Headlines
Don’t Confuse Medicare With Obamacare
October is an important medical-insurance sign-up month for millions of Americans, both under and over 65 years old. The annual Medicare open-enrollment period, running from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, overlaps this year with the initial registration for the Health Insurance…
Don’t Leave Your Spouse In The Money Lurch
It’s not a topic couples generally want to think about, let alone talk about, but the fact is: Barring an unusual accident, one spouse will die before the other. That fact poses a big challenge for your retirement-income plans. And…
The Health Law’s Individual Mandate: What Is It?
The federal health law’s individual mandate, one of the key building blocks of the insurance overhaul, remains controversial as the October start date approaches for enrolling in new online marketplaces. Individuals who don’t get insurance through work will shop for…
Congress Returns from Recess to Face Fiscal Deadlines
Congress returns from its August recess facing two imminent deadlines. First, Congress has appropriated funds to keep the federal government operating only through September 30, 2013. If Congress does not appropriate additional funds during September, on October 1 the federal…
Do Not Invest Social Security Benefits, Expert Says
Should a person take Social Security earlier, rather than later, and invest the proceeds in the hopes of ending up with more money during retirement?The answer is no, according to Social Security expert William Meyer. It’s a question that Meyer and…
The ‘Notch’ — The Social Security Issue That Just Won’t Die
My column generally isn’t for senior citizens. Once you are getting a Social Security check, I really don’t have too much information for you. But if you are approaching retirement age (late 50s-early 60s), then I can help you decide…
What to save, and when
Almost half of all workers are worried that they can’t afford a comfortable retirement, according to survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute. Company pensions are becoming rarer, 401(k)s are depending on a volatile market, and Social Security’s trust fund…
White House, GOP Senators throw in towel on budget talks
A small group of Republican U.S. Senators calling themeselves “sounding board,” have been meeting with White House officials since the end of July to come up with a “grand bargain.” What has become all too common in these times of set ups,…
IG: IRS ‘Hindered’ Efforts to Stop Illegals from Misusing Social Security Numbers…
An audit report published this month by the inspector general for the Social Security Administration indicates the Internal Revenue Service’s reluctance to penalize employers who consistently file W-2s on which the Social Security Number and name don’t match has “hindered”…
State Overbilled Social Security Administration $1.4 Million
A recent audit found that New Mexico indirectly over-billed the federal Social Security Administration $1.4 million in “improper cash draws” for fiscal year 2011, according to a letter by the federal Office of the Inspector General. The letter, written earlier this month, urges…