Latest News
SSA Responds to Criticism About Customer Service
The issue of field office responses to calls has been in the news repeatedly since the recent administrative changes undertaken at the Social Security Administration (SSA). Much of the concern is related to public perceptions regarding the impact of staffing…
More on “Bridging” Strategies to Enhance Retirement Income
Outliving one’s financial resources is a reasonably common fear among retirees, both current and future retirees. When coupled with the impact of claiming Social Security benefits early, that is, before monthly payments are maximized, this fear can be rather significant.…
Ben Shapiro, Social Security, and “bankruptcy”
Bankrupt is a harsh term. At its worst, the implication is that financial resources are gone. What it really means, though, is an inability to meet financial obligations. In the context of Social Security, the term is unfortunately accurate, in…
Retirement and Taxes: An Uncertainty
Passage of the recent “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” brought with it some much-welcomed tax relief for seniors, specifically with extension of the TCJA rates from 2017 and, of course, the “bonus deduction” intended to offset (for some) the effect…
Further clarification on the “Senior Bonus Deduction”
The $6,000 per filer bonus income deduction enacted via the One Big Beautiful Bill Act has generated quite a bit of discussion since its July 4 arrival, much of it dealing with its mechanics at tax filing time. As explained…
Taking a Look at Social Security’s Chatbot
Customer service at the Social Security Administration continues to draw attention in the wake of Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) activities earlier this year. One of the more recent innovations undertaken in this regard is SSA’s recent reliance on an…
Rethinking Your Target Retirement Age
Planning for retirement is something many people daydream about frequently during their years in the workforce. And the older you get, the more focused you become, with issues like financial preparedness, health, and post-career interests beginning to sharpen with each…
A Thought on Increasing Social Security’s Revenue Picture
Addressing Social Security’s long-term financial problems typically comes down to two fundamental moves: increasing the incoming revenue or decreasing the outgoing benefits. Either move presents challenges for policymakers, and that’s why there’s a constant search for new and novel approaches.…
Understanding Spousal Benefits in the Wake of a Partner’s Death
One of the more complicated aspects of Social Security rules relates to the determination of benefits available to a surviving spouse. In fact, it’s one of the most frequent areas, along with the general question of spousal benefits, that we…
Social Security Insolvency: Will Private Accounts be a Solution?
The steady countdown to full depletion of Social Security’s trust fund reserves continues despite a growing recognition of just how severe the problem is. And while there’s more and more teeth gnashing about what will happen absent congressional attention, the…