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A Farewell to Retirement Security
Back in organized labor’s heyday, United Steelworkers (USW) Local 1010, in Hammond, Ind., decided to fight for pensions. It wasn’t a foolish notion. Some American workers had pensions, and new U.S. labor laws and rulings had led the way to bargaining for them. But…
Advice For Those Thinking About Early Retirement
Early retirement is a dream for many working Americans that can quickly become a nightmare if you’re not paying attention. A lot of baby boomers find they have an option to take early retirement. The package may seem like a lot of money but…
Social Security Disability: What You Need to Know
Many people think that Social Security is just a retirement program. But with millions of recipients getting disability payments from Social Security, it’s important to know what benefits you’re actually entitled to receive. In the following video, Dan Caplinger, The Motley…
Entitlement
Entitlement has become a dirty word, a negative word. Politicians have learned to utter it with a sneer as they explain that entitlements have caused our deficit and cutting entitlements is the only way to balance the budget. They are…
UNDERSTANDING SOCIAL SECURITY: Disability Pay Barely Beats Poverty
Glenn Sklar, Deputy Commissioner of SSA’s Office of Disability Adjudication & Review, testified recently before a House subcommittee that oversees the Social Security program. Sklar reminded the subcommittee that the Social Security Act mandates “a strict standard of disability” and does…
Mother’s death offers lessons for managing affairs
My mother passed away about six months ago, and my dad just recently finished off his financial tasks on dealing with her Social Security, credit cards, auto insurance, funeral homes and cemeteries. We both learned a lot in the process…
A fact check on the Washington Post’s “fact check” on Social Security
Glenn Kessler, writer of the Washington Post’s Fact Checker column, took a stab today at correcting some common misconceptions about Social Security. He appropriately debunked the common and ignorant slander of the program as a “Ponzi scheme.” He explained why President George W. Bush’s…
Conservatives Say War on Poverty Failed
Conservative lawmakers argued Wednesday that former President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty has been a failure, even as they acknowledged its role in reducing the percentage of poor Americans 50 years later. “While this war may have been launched with the…
Seniors, It’s time to learn about your 2014 government benefits
You’re never too old to do some math, especially if you’re planning to retire this year or are already in your golden years. It’s time to tally up how your government benefits will be changing in 2014 so that you can…
Medicare open enrollment is over… now what?
Chautauqua County seniors (and OFA HIICAP counselors) made it through the 2013 Medicare Open Enrollment period. But many area seniors are asking what happens now? January is the month when new healthcare plans take effect, EPIC enrollments are verified and…