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Wedge Issue? (Social Security News)
The idea of raising Social Security benefits is increasingly becoming a favorite among more liberal Democrats. Senator Warren just came out in favor of the idea. This is not going to happen while Republicans control the House of Representatives. Theoretically, control…
Your Social Security – Perfect Recipe For Thankful Retirement
Succulent turkey. Savory stuffing. Green-bean casserole. Sweet-potato and pumpkin pie. Every family has its Thanksgiving-dinner traditions. With a carefully followed recipe, everyone around the table can enjoy their favorite dishes. If you plan poorly and wait to throw the bird in…
Let’s Attack the Overuse, Underuse and Misuse of Health Care
Tweaking the Medicare eligibility age alone for savings is like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic if we do not address the national waste of excessive overuse, underuse and misuse of health-care services. Entitlements are crippling the U.S. economy,…
Don’t Raise the Medicare-Eligibility Age
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office doesn’t make recommendations, but sometimes their analyses are so black and white they don’t have to: Just a few weeks ago, they found that phasing in a raised Medicare eligibility age (67 instead of 65) would save…
Three Compelling Reasons to Raise the Medicare Age
In health care, our central focus should remain on how we improve quality while also slowing the rate of growth in spending. While it isn’t a panacea, I do believe there are compelling reasons to consider raising the Medicare eligibility…
Women face hard retirement choices
Women face a unique set of problems going into retirement, financial planners say. And they need to take some important steps to ensure that they have a successful retirement. “Women face the reality of longer lives with fewer financial resources to…
Senators: Strengthen Social Security, Expand Benefits
In an effort to strengthen Social Security, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio is taking a leadership role by co-sponsoring a bill that will extend the life of the Social Security Trust Fund while increasing benefits for average Americans. Brown announced…
Retirement Taxes: Know the Rules
We’ve all heard it. There are three certainties in life: death, taxes and change. For retirees, there are two realties, which are change is inevitable and you’ll still have to pay taxes, even though you are no longer working. Taxes…
Is the Time Right for a Permanent Fix to Medicare’s Formula for Physician Payment?
The annual panic affecting the nation’s physicians is in full swing. “Medicare docs face 24% pay cut… again,” reported CNN Money this month. But after almost a decade of kicking the can down the road, Congress is closer than ever to solving…
A Plan to Keep Social Security Solvent Forever
My modest goal in this post is to set forth a plan that keeps Social Security able to pay promised benefits forever, that does not require any “compromise” with the GOP and so can be passed simply with democratic majorities…