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Social Security Offers Lump Sums? Yes, But Be Careful
If you wait until after your full retirement age to claim your Social Security retirement benefits, there is a little-known rule that could entitle you to a large chunk of cash all at once. This provision enables retirees who meet…
The Medicare Enrollment Period Ends December 7th
Time is of the essence. With December 7 just around the corner, the annual Medicare enrollment period is almost over! In case you’re not clear, here is a quick recap of the rules for enrollment. Seniors can enroll in Medicare…
Economic Populism Is a Dead End for Democrats
If you talk to leading progressives these days, you’ll be sure to hear this message: The Democratic Party should embrace the economic populism of New York Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Such economic populism, they argue, should be…
Administration Offers Partial Update on HealthCare.gov Progress
The Obama administration on Monday offered a handful of new — but partial — details about its progress on some of the biggest problems with HealthCare.gov, now that officials have declared the site to be working smoothly for the vast majority…
In Medicare Program: N.W. Hospitals Faring Well
New Hampshire hospitals as a whole fared better than nearly every other state in the nation in a Medicare program that rewards hospitals based on quality, though Dartmouth-Hitchcock was still among the institutions penalized for failing to hit certain benchmarks. The…
Retirement road blocks for Baby Boomers
From now until 2030, about 10,000 Baby Boomers will turn 65 every day, according to the Pew Research Center. This large generation, born between 1946 and 1964, has had a huge impact on American culture and society, and that remains…
9 Ways Progressives Have Shifted Politics to the Left in 2013
Progressives spent 3 years watching the Tea Party shift the center of American political gravity to the right and wringing their hands over Democratic centrism. But in 2013, liberals have seen major successes in reshaping the Democratic party – and by extension, reshaping…
Retirement expert: Financial planning important for non-retirees, too
As older workers increasingly contemplate delaying retirement or putting it off entirely, they should also consider the financial-planning options available in Social Security, Medicare and employment-based retirement plans such as IRAs and 401(k) accounts, says a University of Illinois expert…
Don’t cut the big benefit programs
In America today, the middle class is disappearing, unemployment is sky high and senior poverty is growing. We also have the most unequal distribution of wealth and income of any major country. At a time when almost all new income…
Social Security disability approvals decline
Attorney John Bednarz thought he had a clear-cut case to win Social Security disability benefits for his client. The 39-year-old Wilkes-Barre man had Huntington’s disease, a debilitating and often fatal disorder that caused tremors in his hands, left him off-balance and…