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Can You Get a Higher Social Security Benefit?
As Social Security Advisors, we often caution people that whenever they claim their Social Security benefit, the amount is permanent and will not change, except for Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA). That’s generally true, but there actually are several ways…
Regret Claiming Early? Here’s How to Increase Your Monthly Benefit
Claiming your Social Security benefit early (before your full retirement age) can have a pretty significant impact on the amount of your monthly check. Indeed, your benefit at age 62 can be up to 30% less than it would be…
Creating Your “my Social Security” Online Account
The Social Security Administration has, for years, been evolving many of its functions to be available online, thus reducing the need for personal visits to your local Social Security office. From applying for a replacement Social Security or Medicare card,…
Plenty of Retirement Savings? Here’s When To Claim Social Security
This somewhat esoteric article is for those fortunate enough to have accumulated a sizable retirement nest egg, and who don’t urgently need their Social Security benefit to enjoy retirement. Surely not a majority of Americans, but applicable for those who…
Claiming Early Cuts Survivor Benefits Too
An interesting reality is that most Social Security beneficiaries claim their retirement benefits early, many as soon as they are eligible at age 62. The implications of that – essentially a permanently reduced monthly benefit – are personal for those…
“Live long and prosper” – How to do both
Star Trek’s iconic Mr. Spock character offered this Vulcan greeting in nearly all of the fictional Star Trek episodes, almost certainly without thought about how the words apply to real retirement. Of course, we all want to live long in…
Saving For Your Retirement
It’s hardly new news – most Americans are facing a crisis in retirement, having saved insufficiently to attain true comfort in their golden years. As inconvenient as that fact may be, it emphasizes the need to start saving for your…
Changing Your Legal Name With Social Security
Things happen in life – people get married and people divorce, which may mean a change to one’s legal last name. And sometimes, a person may find that the name on their Social Security card is spelled incorrectly and needs…
Retired and Working? What to Look Out For
It’s a fact of life these days – more and more people are returning to the workforce after they retire from their lifetime career. Some do it out of necessity, and some do it out of boredom, but it’s not…
Is Your Local Social Security Office Fully Open?
It was with considerable fanfare that the Social Security Administration announced earlier this month that all Social Security field offices would open for normal in-person visits on April 7th. With all offices closed to in-person services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,…