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How to fix Social Security’s error
Sometimes Social Security makes mistakes. Getting this giant agency to acknowledge an error and fix it isn’t a slam dunk, but it can be done. Errors are rare, says Dorothy Cullum, a former management analyst for the Social Security Administration…
‘Under Observation’: Medicare at Its Stingiest?
A federal effort to keep Medicare recipients out of an admissions revolving door at some hospitals was meant to curb government spending. But an unintended consequence of the program has left some older Americans with sticker shock. The crackdown has led to…
Senator Sanders and the Impossibility of Reviving Democratic Party Liberalism by Charles Andrews
Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont released a 12-step economic agenda on December 1, 2014. Cyber Monday at the start of the holiday commercial frenzy is not the best time to capture public attention, but Sanders probably has a strict timeline…
When We Say ‘Retirement,’ You Say…
What images does the word “retirement” conjure up? Fun? Relaxation? Excitement? Exploration? Try again. How about “old”? “Old” was the No. 1 answer of 1,134 respondents to an informal online survey byFinancial Engines FNGN +0.54%, which manages individual retirement accounts and 401(k) accounts. Starting…
A retirement crisis is coming; here’s how to fix it
While I have written previously on bits and pieces of the problems with our retirement system, my new co-authored book covers this issue comprehensively and presents specific solutions. This blog summarizes the core message. The problem is simple. We are facing…
Paul Ryan: Aiming for a Congress that works in 2015
Like two predatory animals circling each other, Republicans and Democrats are trying to sort out the meaning of last month’s election and plan strategies for the remaining days of the current Congress and the new one in which Republicans will…
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…
Work longer, retire richer, research reveals
In my forties and fifties, my friends and I assumed we’d all retire at 65. Didn’t everybody? Ten, still going full tilt in my early sixties, I thought retiring at 65 seemed too early. Yet data shows most American workers retire…
Senate Dems Take On Social Security Gender Gap
Rather than address the grim financial realities of Social Security, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing Tuesday to figure out how to strengthen the program for women, who on average receive fewer benefits than men.“I particularly appreciate Senator Hatch…
Seniors Advocate Will Urge Senate to Address Social Security Inequity Impacting Millions of Older Women
“22 million older women receive Social Security benefits yet the inequalities they face threaten their retirement security. Persistent gender wage discrimination, work gaps taken to care for loved ones, the lack of pensions, and generally longer lives mean women receive…