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Could Your Grandchildren Ruin Your Retirement?
They were your pride and joy when they were younger, and now your grandkids are on the cusp of adulthood, brimming with promise but low on money. Maybe they’ve asked you to help, or maybe you just can’t stand the…
Coming up: What do I need to know about Social Security?
As a federal employee, Social Security benefits are handled differently depending upon the retirement system that one is in. Join our host, Bob Leins, as he welcomes federal benefits specialist James Marshall into the studio, to discuss Social Security and the…
Duly Noted: Delaying Social Security claims
Delaying a claim for Social Security retirement benefits might not be the best plan for some people if it means they’ll have to deplete their retirement savings accounts, William Byrnes and Robert Bloink write. They explain that for workers who…
CMS Suggests Significant Changes to Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug Plans
On January 6, 2014, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) issued a proposed rule, “Contract Year 2015 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage and the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Programs,” (the “Proposed Rule”) with public comments…
Social Security Cheats Bilk Taxpayers in the Billions
Congress is demanding a “top-to-bottom” investigation into the Social Security Administration after a spate of high profile fraud cases have resulted in the loss of billions of tax dollars. During a hearing Thursday morning, Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX), the chairman of…
Defined Benefit Plans: The Overlooked Retirement Vehicle For Successful Entrepreneurs
While they were once a crucial element of the American retirement landscape, defined benefit plans – pension plans, in laymen’s terms – have fallen out of favor in recent years, having taken on negative connotations in the wake of the financial crisis. Fair…
The New York City Fraud Allegations
Here is the description of the alleged disability fraud conspiracy in New Yorkgiven by Social Security’s Inspector General to the House Social Security Subcommittee today: Upon retiring from the NYPD [New York Police Department] or FDNY [New York Fire Department] (a…
You Think The Deficit Is Bad? Federal Unfunded Liabilities Exceed $127 Trillion
While federal unfunded liabilities are important, state-level unfunded pension liabilities also pose serious obstacles. In Texas, the recent 2013 Employees Retirement System (ERS) Valuation Report outlines the funding shortages this pension system faces and there is some indication it may be unable to pay beneficiaries by…
News From The SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
Now Is The Time To Prepare For Tax Season: Wise taxpayers may want to take advantage of winter months indoors to prepare for tax filing season this spring. Whether you are a small business owner, a retiree, or a new parent,…
We’re entitled to reform – Abuses in disability-benefit disbursement should be stopped
Did you hear the one about the federal entitlement program that’s going broke? Not Social Security, the other one. No, not Medicare, the other one. If you’re one of the 11 million people receiving a federal disability check, then you know…