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Public-pension effects on Social Security benefits
Anyone who earns 10 years of Social Security work credits is eligible to receive a Social Security benefit at retirement age. Your benefit amount is based on your earnings averaged over the 35 years you earned the most and the…
What qualifies as compensation?
A recent tax case highlights the confusion over what counts as compensation for contributing to an individual retirement account. ..Read MoreIn the case (Alex Halo v. Commissioner; T.C. Summ. Op. 2014-92; No. 23774-12S, Sept. 11, 2014), the court ruled that…
How Do Your Social Security Benefits Measure Up?
Social Security is one of the most important sources of income for retirees in America. Those 65 and older get about 65% of their income on average from Social Security, according to the latest figures from the SSA’s Office of…
Sen. Jeff Sessions: White House giving ‘direct cash payments’ to illegals
A report published yesterday by National Review Online says Sen. Jeff Sessions, R- AL, is claiming the Obama administration will be giving “direct cash payments” to illegal immigrants through the president’s new executive amnesty plan. Sessions made the accusation after…
Candy Crowley leaving CNN this month
Veteran newswoman Candy Crowley is leaving CNN after 27 years. Crowley, the network’s chief political correspondent and anchor of “State of the Union,” will exit at the end of this month, she said Friday. Her final appearance hosting the “State…
The Shockingly Simple Solution to Our Retirement Crisis
The average U.S. household is in dire straits when it comes to retirement, according a study by the National Institute on Retirement Security, with the median retirement account balance among working-age households at just $3,000, and the median retirement account balance among…
Watch out for charity scams during holidays
Giving to charities during the holiday season is high on the list of many people — and unfortunately scam artists, the only criminals we call artists, are well aware of this fact. Charity scams occur throughout the year, but they…
Aging Parents’ Struggle To Pay Out Of Pocket Medical Costs
When Medicare started, most of us thought it would take care of our medical costs when we got to be 65. Right away, we learned that we have to get supplemental insurance to pay for the 20% of those costs…
Small Businesses Say, “Meh” to Obamacare Exchange
Obamacare’s Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) exchange is up and running, but it’s not getting much attention from the small businesses it’s designed to help. Some problems stem from some technical glitches with the website, as the Washington Post…
Social Security Nominee Defends Integrity, Career
A day after her nomination ran into trouble in the Senate, President Barack Obama’s pick to head the Social Security Administration passionately defended her integrity, her long career in government and her handling of a troubled computer project she inherited…