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Under Obama Budget, Many Medicare Recipients Would Pay More
In his new budget, President Obama proposed on Monday to squeeze $399 billion over the next 10 years out of Medicare, Medicaid and other programs run by the Department of Health and Human Services. Under the proposals, many Medicare beneficiaries…
Social Security Announces New Online Service for Replacement SSA-1099s
Carolyn W. Colvin, Acting Commissioner of Social Security, today announced the agency is expanding the online services available at www.socialsecurity.gov. Social Security beneficiaries are now able to quickly and easily obtain a replacement SSA-1099 from the agency’s website with a…
As Obama’s Budget Arrives, GOP Will Try (Again) to Kill His Favorite Bill
February 1, 2015 Partisan contrasts are always stark on Capitol Hill, but rarely more so than they will be this week. President Obama unveils next year’s budget proposal Monday, so congressional Republicans and Democrats will use it as a vehicle…
3 biggest challenges facing retirement savings
When considering the biggest regrets of 2014, most of us think of common year-end responses, such as what we ate and drank or spending too little time with loved ones. However, the growing American mass-affluent segment experienced the most guilt—for…
Action Line: How to handle an estate when a relative dies
I recently learned my brother has terminal cancer. He is in no condition to deal with business matters. He is not married and has no children, so everything is left to me. I don’t know how to take care of…
Obama’s $4 trillion budget includes higher taxes on rich and big banks, public works program
The $4 trillion budget that President Barack Obama sends Congress on Monday proposes higher taxes on wealthier Americans and corporations, and an ambitious $478 billion public works program for highway, bridge and transit upgrades. The grab-bag of proposals, many recycled…
Obama’s Budget: Why won’t president fix what needs fixing (hint: Social Security, Medicare)?
The president’s budget proposal, to be released Monday, presents an opportunity to tackle the long-term fiscal crisis facing the nation. Unfortunately, the White House seems positioned to waste the opportunity. The responsible thing to do would be to propose a…
The White House Promises Exciting Medicare Reforms, But There’s A Devil In The Details
This week the Obama administration announced a dramatic plan to accelerate payment reform under Medicare, by moving away from the fee-for-service model toward something akin to pay-for-performance. The administration pledges to tie 50 percent of payments to quality by 2016.…
The Nasty Four-Letter Word We Never Taught Our Children
D-E-B-T This four-letter word has caused so much grief for Baby Boomers; why have we kept it a secret from our kids? Money issues and debt, in many cases, are still a family’s deep dark secret. How did this happen?…
Social Security: The Truth Behind Why the Government Wants to Pay You More to Wait
Social Security is an integral part of how retirees make ends meet, and most Americans simply can’t wait to claim their benefits. Almost all retired workers begin receiving benefits before full retirement age, and nearly half claim them as soon…