Latest News
Call Center Improvements Focused on Survivor Benefit Applications
National 800 Number call routing improvements and creation of “a dedicated queue of trained agents to take and adjudicate survivor claims” were highlighted in a recent Social Security Administration statement outlining efforts to better aid this segment of the public.…
An Interesting Perspective on the Projection of Social Security’s Trust Fund Depletion
Projections are just that…an estimate of what research has concluded will happen over a prescribed horizon. In the case of Social Security’s steadily eroding financial picture, the 2026 Trustees Report projects the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) trust fund will…
Working in Retirement: The Upsides and Downsides of Remaining in the Workforce
A growing number of Social Security beneficiaries are choosing to remain (or rejoin) the workforce after claiming their benefits. So, what are the pros and cons of that choice? The “Earnings Test” applicable to those who’ve claimed before their full…
One Viewpoint on “Fixing” Social Security
“Keep it simple” is an oft-used directive to address complex situations. Sometimes it works; sometimes it doesn’t. WealthManagement.com’s Kathryn Anne Edwards seems to think simplicity is the appropriate path to solving Social Security’s looming financial catastrophe, as hinted in her…
AMAC Delivers the Latest Social Security Updates Through Its Partnership with the SSA
(Editorial Note: This article previously appeared on AMAC Newsline) AMAC’s partnership with the Social Security Administration gives us access to the agency’s Monthly Information Package (MIP), a collection of articles that provides updates on Social Security programs, services, and resources.…
Retiring Next Year? Here are some pre-planning tips to set you up for success.
Retirement planning can be an intimidating process for many folks, involving Social Security benefit claiming, investment strategies, health care cost estimating, tax strategies, etc. In this segment of Morningstar’s Retirement Countdown series, Christine Benz focuses on the near term, outlining…
Flawed Medicare Advantage payment methodologies
The Medicare Advantage Quality Bonus Program (QBP) is a payment incentive for Medicare Advantage (MA) plans that score 4 stars or higher on CMS’s five‑star quality rating system. However, the intention of paying more for higher quality is reasonable; it…
Retirement security has become an issue for many Americans
Americans’ growing concern about their future retirement while trying to deal with the higher living costs and the emergence of AI’s impact on the workforce. According to Thrivent, a financial services firm, almost half of the survey respondents are skeptical…
Even waiting a short time to apply can make a huge difference to your checks.
You can start Social Security as early as 62, but your benefit will be permanently reduced. Waiting until FRA gives you the full amount, and delaying until 70 can significantly increase your monthly payment. Let’s make it clear: there is…
You would want to avoid these common misconceptions
Social Security plays a critical role in retirement planning for many Americans. Social Security benefits serve as a stable, guaranteed income source that can be essential for maintaining a basic standard of living. Unfortunately, this important decision, if you get…