Latest News
Americans’ Retirement Savings Gap Tops $4 Trillion
The gap between how much Americans are saving for retirement and how much they ought to be saving has grown to more than $4.13 trillion, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI). The findings were released last month, ahead…
Senator Sherrod Brown Opposes Social Security Disability Cuts
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) on Tuesday voiced his opposition to recently-proposed legislation that seeks to eliminate or reduce concurrent Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits. Brown, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee’s Subcommittee on Social…
Navigating the Labyrinth of Medicare’s Rules and Choices
Medicare choices are among the most complicated and important financial and medical insurance decisions that you will ever make. The saying “Measure twice but cut once” applies to most decision making; reworded as “Measure 10 times and then cut” aptly applies…
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Hearing
Chairman Johnson, Ranking Member Carper, and Members of the Committee: Thank you for inviting me to discuss the death information we collect and maintain for Social Security purposes and how we share this information with other government agencies. I am…
Want to Retire Early? Think Again
Some people consider “early retirement” to mean leaving the workforce at age 55. But most of us don’t. Unless you’re lucky enough to have a full pension and benefits that kick in at that age (say, if you worked in…
Lawmakers Move to Extend Social Security Benefits to Same-Sex Couples
Legislation that would ensure all legally married same-sex couples have access to Social Security benefits, regardless of whether they live in a marriage-equality state, was reintroduced in Congress Tuesday. Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) reintroduced the Social Security…
Why the Social Security Administration Can’t Help You
The Social Security Administration (SSA for short) can’t help you with your Social Security benefits. That sounds funny, I know, but they can’t. What I mean is they can’t help you put a plan in place to maximize your benefits.…
David Walker Warns of Social Security, State Pensions Insolvency
David Walker, the former Comptroller of the United States from 1998 to 2008, is warning the general public that Social Security is untrustworthy and is on the cusp of insolvency. Get ready. It has been a while since Walker has been…
Social Security Disability Awards Reform Can Restore Dignity and Efficacy to the System
….Over the past decade, judicial impartiality has declined significantly, as many administrative-law judges uncritically approve most claims. In 2008, judges on average approved about 70 percent of claims before them. Nine percent of judges approved more than 90 percent of…
Ways to Lower Your Taxes in Retirement
Retirees who file their taxes quarterly may feel like every season is tax season, but preparing for the April tax deadline is a good time to seek out new deductions and plan some strategies for the year ahead. You might be…