Latest News
Social Security Revamps Process for Collection of Overpayments
Much has been reported lately about how overpayment of benefits due to Social Security’s slowness catching errors has created financial hardship for many beneficiaries. Social Security’s newly appointed Commissioner has taken steps to mitigate the issues related to collection of…
Planning for Retirement – Here are some helpful ideas
Retirement planning can be intimidating, especially if you are mid-life looking at the horizon and wondering what you can do to better your chances of comfort in your golden years. But retirement planning is more than simply “crunching the numbers”…
Social Security for Divorced Spouses
“Your ex is worth twice as much dead than alive” proclaims one Social Security pundit, and guess what? That is true. Although there are specific criteria which must be met for a divorced spouse to be eligible for benefits from…
About Medicare Advantage Plans
No doubt about it – many seniors have selected “Medicare Advantage” as their preferred type of healthcare plan. Essentially, Medicare Advantage replaces the federal government’s “original Medicare” with healthcare coverage from a private insurance company. Medicare Advantage plans usually offer…
“SSI” vs. Social Security retirement or “SSDI” benefits
Social Security certainly can be a confusing program, with over 2800 rules codified in over 100,000 SSA website pages. Then add in that the Social Security Administration also administers other assistance programs on behalf of the federal government, and the…
How much will your Social Security benefit be?
The average retiree actually gets a benefit likely much smaller than you think. Many believe that after contributing to Social Security for an entire lifetime, they will be able to retire in financial comfort, but the reality is much less…
Speculation about COLA for 2025
Admittedly, it’s way too early to say with certainty what next year’s Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for Social Security will be. COLA is, after all, based on inflation as measured in the 3rd quarter (July – September) of each…
Important information for those new to Social Security
After a lifetime of working and approaching age 62, you might start thinking about applying for Social Security. After all, you’ve worked your entire life, contributing to the program, and feel entitled to start reaping the monetary fruits of your…
Hard fact: Social Security must be reformed
To listen to candidates for federal office these days, one would get the impression that just leaving Social Security alone is a viable path forward. But it’s not, according to this sobering assessment by a Congressman speaking at a South…
Retirement planning – What can go wrong?
Your retirement plan is in place, but is there an iceberg in your path? Have you stress-tested your plan to ensure that it can withstand any unforeseen obstacles? Is there danger lurking ahead simply because you haven’t considered and planned…