Latest News
The 2025 Veterans Benefits Guide is now available
Are you a veteran? First, thank you for your service. Second, have you obtained your copy of the “2025 VA Federal Benefits Guide for Veterans, Dependents, Survivors, and Caregivers?” The handbook contains a comprehensive listing of VA programs, including phone…
Resumption of Past-Due Student Debt May Impact Many Retirees
As if the continuing rise in the cost of living isn’t enough, nearly half a million Social Security beneficiaries carrying past-due student debt are facing the potential of “harsh consequences.” As explained in a money.com post by Pete Grieve, the…
Does Medicare Advantage have better access to extra services?
A study by researchers at Mass General Brigham found that despite Medicare Advantage plans offering enhanced dental, vision, and hearing services, Medicare Advantage beneficiaries did not outperform their traditional Medicare counterparts in utilizing these benefits. Todd Shryock asks whether Medicare…
Another Call for a “Bipartisan Commission” to Study Social Security Insolvency
Although it’s been discussed off and on for the past couple of years, no concrete steps have been taken to create a bipartisan commission to develop a solution to the fast-approaching cliff facing Social Security. Two New York Congressmen, Rep.…
Some Suggestions for Dealing with the Unknowns of Retirement Finances
Planning for the financial side of retirement can be a daunting task. After all, it’s kind of like the famous (infamous?) remarks uttered in 2002 by then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, who said, “[A]s we know, there are known knowns;…
Illegal Immigrants and Social Security: A Quirky Situation
It’s kind of a reversal of the oft-repeated mythical allegation that illegal immigrants are receiving Social Security benefits. (This allegation, incidentally, conflates Supplemental Security Income, which is not Social Security and Social Security benefits, and is miscommunicated repeatedly in social…
How Medicaid home care programs support caregivers
Generally, Medicare does not cover home care (home and community-based services or HCBS). In 2022, Medicaid paid for two-thirds of home care spending in the United States. Medicaid supports family caregivers with various services such as training, support groups, and…
Myth Patrol: Dispelling Two Persistant Questions on Social Security Planning
In many respects, financial planning for retirement is somewhat of a crystal ball experience. There are certainly unknowns, and that makes planning difficult. But there are myths and misunderstandings, which add more uncertainty to the process. The American Society of…
SSA Announcements Improvements in Document Processing
A part of its pursuit of “faster and more error-free processing and better service” for its customer base, the Social Security Administration (SSA) recently announced procedural improvements in the handling of documents previously requiring physical signatures. More than 30 forms…
Retiring in 2025? Read on.
If you’re on the verge of “taking the plunge” into Social Security’s world of retirement benefits, now would be a good time to reflect on a short series of key factors that may help you in a final decision. The…