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Expanding retirement plan coverage
With only 50 percent of employees covered by a retirement plan, closing the retirement gap is a work in progress. Due to the different kinds of workers, access to plans and the ability to save is a challenge, especially for…
Retiring at age 80
Retiring at 80? Although it is not common practice, some individuals work longer because they enjoy it. Unfortunately, other individuals need to build their financial security. So, if you plan on retiring later in life, what are things you need…
Social Security Administration Resumes Treasury Offset Program Collections After COVID-19 Suspension
The Social Security Administration (SSA) today announced the immediate resumption of debt collection activities through the Treasury Offset Program (TOP) for debts accrued prior to March 2020. This decision comes after a suspension of collections due to the economic challenges…
SS Disability: Can the IRS Garnish your benefit?
The short answer is yes – the IRS can garnish your Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefit if you owe back taxes. But this would likely be something of a last resort to collect back taxes which are long overdue…
Retirement Planning and Social Security go hand in hand
Planning for retirement can be a sometimes daunting event, but something which is exactly the right way to secure your future. Some employers still offer a traditional “defined benefit” retirement plan, though these seem to be losing favor in American…
Social Security Fairness Act: Update
About 3.2 million people were affected by enactment of the Social Security Fairness Act in early January 2025. The media coverage of this event has many Social Security recipients wondering if their personal benefits will be affected. Here at the…
Don’t forget healthcare when planning your retirement
Of course, healthcare in the form of coverage for doctor visits and medical tests are, for most Americans, substantially covered by Medicare and/or Medicare Advantage plans from private insurers. But reality is that Medicare doesn’t cover everything, and a potentially…
State-by-State Average Social Security Payments
How does your monthly Social Security check compare to others, like you, who reside in your state? Fact is, according to over 75% of those collecting benefits, Social Security is an important part of their retirement income. Indeed, for some…
Seeking Work? Assess your skills first, and use Social Security’s “Ticket to Work” program
Life sometimes changes things for us. Perhaps a disability from which we recover, or finding we need to return to work after retiring (for financial reasons). Regardless of the reason, finding new work these days requires a fair assessment of…
Dudek Acknowledges Turmoil in Social Security Agency
Leland Dudek admits he has made some mistakes in the shakeup of the agency but will not be deterred from moving forward. He praised employees for continuing to do their jobs. In looking for ways to curtail fraud the agency…