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SOCIAL SECURITY TRADEOFFS
Many people approaching retirement age decide to start taking Social Security income at the earliest age of 62, without realizing the tradeoffs involved. Claiming Social Security before full retirement age can significantly reduce your benefits for as long as you…
With Campaigns Looming, GOP Splits on Same-Sex Marriage Benefits
The amendment—which hit the floor more than 10 hours into the Senate’s budget vote-a-rama—allows same-sex spouses to be eligible for the same Veteran’s Affairs benefits and Social Security benefits afforded to heterosexual couples. Huddled together, poring over language authored by Democratic…
Investment insights: Building blocks for a successful retirement
Over the past few years, I have dedicated at least one article each year to various aspects of retirement planning. Given the importance of this subject to our readers, this year will be no exception. Although this is a broad…
How inheriting an IRA affects Social Security benefits
Social Security benefits can be affected by different types of income. A new income stream such as from an inherited IRA, can make a huge difference to some and almost none to others. Read more… Notice: The “Read more…”…
Americans Defy Warnings, Still Retiring Early
From Congressional hearings, to research studies, to countless media reports, one would think the American worker would be getting the message that most need to stay longer in the workforce before retiring. But that isn’t at all the case, a…
How Social Security funding affects your retirement
The first person to receive a monthly Social Security retirement benefit, Ida May Fuller of Ludlow, Vermont, earned quite a return on her tax dollars. Fuller paid $24.75 in payroll taxes, which is used to fund Social Security, over three years…
6 Popular Social Security Myths Busted
Most retirement advice focuses on how to save enough money for your later years and how to make the best use of your pension (if you’re lucky enough to have one). For many Americans, however, the most confusing part of…
Why African American, elderly support for aid programs keeps falling
When it comes to economic aid programs, culture trumps self interest more often than we realize. Most politics are about wealth redistribution. Whether you’re debating Medicare and Social Security, or Defense Department expenditures, the question is not just what to pay for,…
Obama says he’s ready to sign fix of Medicare doctor payments, without endorsing legislation
President Barack Obama said Wednesday that he’s ready to sign good bipartisan legislation to fix Medicare’s doctor payment problem, without endorsing any specific legislation. Without a fix, doctors face a 21 percent cut in Medicare fees, the consequence of a 1990s…
Mullin: VA Change Will Help More Oklahoma Veterans
WASHINGTON — A policy change at the Department of Veterans Affairs will allow more veterans in Oklahoma to receive medical care outside of the VA system, Rep. Markwayne Mullin said Tuesday. The department will now allow veterans whose driving distance to…