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Boskin: Social Security Disability Insurance Fund May Implode in 2016
One of the major problems facing the Social Security system is its Disability Insurance Fund (SSDI), says Stanford University economist Michael Boskin. It’s “the ticking time bomb of entitlement reform,” he writes in The Wall Street Journal. “According to the…
Working women and their impact on Social Security benefits
Here’s a stunning statement: While an increase in women’s workforce participation and average earnings has boosted the income of many American families, it has also reduced household retirement income replacement rates from Social Security. Read more… Notice: The link provided…
Dollars and Sense: Concerns about relying on Social Security
Over the past few weeks I have been writing about various aspects of the Social Security program. In this article, I would like to give you an update on the fiscal soundness both the Social Security and Medicare programs. Read…
Santa Claus, the Trust Fund and the Tooth Fairy
What do Santa Claus, the Social Security Trust Fund and the Tooth Fairy have in common? They are all myths, which people want so much to believe that they try to convince themselves they’re real, despite the evidence to the…
VA Democrats Throw the Book at Cuccinelli
A Democratic TV ad goes a little too far when it says GOP gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli’s new book “questions whether Medicare and Social Security should exist.” Cuccinelli’s book criticizes social welfare programs — including Social Security and Medicare —…
How Repeal Of DOMA Affects Same-Sex Couples’ Finances, Part 2
Aside from income and estate taxes, there are many other changes for same sex couples now that the federal Defense Of Marriage Act has been struck down. Take, for instance, health insurance. The cost of covering a spouse under a…
NECAC warns seniors about scam
The not-for-profit North East Community Action Corporation (NECAC), a 12-county area social service, community health and public housing community action agency, is warning senior citizens about a scam involving so-called free medical alert services. Read more… Notice: The “Read…
For 26 years after Mobile man’s death, $85,341 in Social Security checks kept coming
When Willis Edward Johnson’s father died in 1984, he tried informing the Social Security Administration and even attempted to close a bank account where the government deposited the retirement money. Except for a brief period in August 1988, the checks kept…
Social Security: Find Your Best Filing Strategy
For most households, there’s no retirement resource more important than Social Security. And making smart decisions about when to file for benefits can make a difference of thousands of dollars during your lifetime–especially for married couples, who can take advantage…
Medicare, Social Security Are Bargains for Beneficiaries
In the current debates over cuts to federal spending, organizations that advocate for seniors overwhelmingly argue against cuts to Medicare or Social Security. Public opinion polls also find big majorities against cuts. Perhaps the most-used defense of the programs is…