Latest News
New Year’s Resolutions That Will Enrich Your Retirement
For many baby boomers looking to retire in the next few years, the biggest worry is not whether or not they can retire, but if they’ll outlive their savings. It’s a valid concern: One of every four people turning 65 today…
The Basics on Medicare
Healthcare can be a substantial expense in retirement, but you can reduce your costs by buying the right coverage. Although Medicare will help you with hospitalization costs and doctors’ visits, you’ll need supplemental coverage. You’ll also need to buy individual…
Social Security Fight Exposes Democratic Divide On Populism
American politics is having a populist moment, with voters angry and frustrated with all big institutions in American life. The backlash against big government found its expression on the right with the Tea Party. The tensions between that movement and the…
Why the Social Security Rollout Worked Better
The recent problems with rolling out the Affordable Care Act have led some to wonder why the advent of Social Security worked more smoothly. The data processing challenges associated with beginning the Social Security system were easily as great as…
Retirement savings: 3% is the new 4%
It’s all relative. How much retirees can safely withdraw from their retirement account each year is a mostly a function of current stock values and interest rates, which tend to predict near-term returns. And when stock market valuations are well…
Analysis: Dog of year in Congress whimpers to end
Barring uncharacteristically swift work by Congress, more than a million victims of the recession will lose long-term unemployment benefits over the holidays, the price of milk could shoot up in late winter and government payments might fall sharply for doctors…
Social Security advocate Richtman applauds Ohio Sen. Brown for senior support
On a cold and snowy Friday in Columbus, Ohio, seniors gathered at the Marin Janis Senior Center to hear U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown and Max Richtman, a nationally known advocate for the defense and protection of Social Security and Medicare, talk about their efforts, and how seniors…
Year-end tax planning important for upper income households
A year ago, it was difficult for taxpayers to do last-minute tax planning because of uncertainty surrounding expiring tax breaks from the Bush era. Lawmakers were at loggerheads on which, if any, deductions and credits to keep and whether to let…
Proposed Social Security cost-of-living adjustment won’t cover living costs, seniors say
Groups supporting senior citizens rallied at the Kluczynski Federal Building Thursday against a proposal introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday that would change the way cost-of-living increases are calculated for seniors. The new calculation would use a measurement…
Medicare registration deadline Saturday, December 7th
If you need to sign up Medicare, and haven’t time is running out. The registration deadline is Saturday, December 7 at midnight.Registration is for Medicare Parts C and D. Medicare Part C provides health care coverage and usually includes Medicare Part D, which is…