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5 Steps to Save More for Retirement
Let’s face it, retirement saving is difficult. When we are young, retirement seems a long way off and many of us don’t handle delayed gratification very well. It’s so much easier to spend money on fun things now, and put off retirement…
Frustrating Medicare catch: Who’s an in-patient at the hospital and who’s under observation?
Ruth Felton, of Tiburon, California is a real fireball, even in her 90s. Her daughter, Sherry Brier, interviewed her while she was working out on a rowing machine at a gym where she had been going for several years When Brier asked…
SENIORS: Getting rich off Social Security? Not likely
That’s the implication of an op-ed in a recent Wall Street Journal, which says that figures on retiree incomes used by the Social Security Administration systematically miss as much as 60 percent of the income that seniors receive. That income,…
Changes in Certain Social Security Measures
Beginning in February 2014, Social Security will no longer provide benefit verification letters in local offices. You will still be able to get an instant letter online with a personal “my Social Security” account or you may call them toll-free…
Tapping Your Ex for Social Security Benefits… and Making the Most of It
Was your ex-spouse the primary earner? In that case, you might be eligible for a higher Social Security benefit based upon his or her work history instead of your own. In order to qualify for a “divorced spouse” benefit you must…
Social Security and Taxation in the USA (Info for Expats)
Even if you are still young (or feel young at heart), it’s essential to start thinking about your retirement provisions. Expat life can be expensive, as moving costs and similar expenses often add up. But this is no excuse to…
New retirement plan can’t erase all obstacles to saving
As President Barack Obama last month rolled out a new government-backed retirement savings account, called “myRA,” administration officials said boosting the nest eggs of women and minorities was of special importance. These groups have less access to workplace retirement accounts and…
Remember survivor benefit when claiming Social Security
It seems obvious enough: If a worker is in poor health, he should claim Social Security benefits as early as possible, right? Well, not as obvious as at first glance. If the worker is single, this strategy does make sense. Because…
2014 Social Security Tips for Farmers
Early planning for retirement can help producers properly evaluate the range of Social Security taxes and payback periods, The Farm CPA Paul Neiffer says. “Farmers, I think they have a genetic chip implanted at birth that they don’t want to pay income taxes.…
The true state of the elderly
How well-off are the elderly? The answer is crucial to public debate about Social Security, Medicare and other programs to help older Americans. If most live on the edge, then cuts are hard to justify. On the other hand, if…