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How Criminal Convictions and Incarceration Affect Social Security Benefits
For those convicted of a crime and sentenced to incarceration for more than a short jail term, there are rules in place governing Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments. Economic Times Global Desk reporter Piyush Shukla outlines…
State-Level Taxation of Social Security Benefits–An Update
Taxation of Social Security benefits is a continually evolving issue, with the recent One Big Beautiful Bill Act adding some confusion, at least regarding the federal income tax on Social Security benefits. You probably know by now that a workaround…
Social Security’ 2026 changes: How they affect higher and lower earners
Each year, Social Security undergoes a series of parameter changes that have an across-the-board impact on all beneficiaries. That’s simply part of keeping the massive program at least partly synchronized with the national economy. There are two key changes, though,…
Proposed Social Security Legislation Would Increase Benefits, Raise Taxes
New legislation has been proposed by Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) that would increase benefits for Social Security recipients by adding an estimated $ 150 per month to payments and modifying the current cost-of-living methodology to reflect cost categories more appropriate…
Beefing Up Your Social Security Monthly Benefit Payment
Many folks are aware that Social Security is part of one’s overall retirement financial planning, accounting for about 40% of one’s pre-retirement income. Given its place in overall retirement finances, some steps can be taken to ensure that Social Security…
Spousal Benefits and the Impact of Changes in Marital Status
As if Social Security rules were not complex enough, there’s a segment of the rulebook that makes the basic spousal benefit segment even more complicated. Some of the intricacies could reduce benefits in certain circumstances, and others could eliminate them.…
Understanding (and adapting to) this year’s Social Security changes
In addition to its everyday complexities, Social Security changes each year. Some of these changes are based on legislation (e.g., changes in the full retirement age), others are intended to keep the program aligned with the economy (e.g., cost-of-living adjustments).…
SSDI Eligibility Changes Under Consideration
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is a key component of America’s social insurance framework, and in 2025, approximately 11 million beneficiaries received payments from this program. Becoming eligible for SSDI is a rigorous process, with age, education, and residual functional…
A Quick Refresher on the Bonus Deductioon for Seniors
The $6,000 “bonus” income tax deduction for seniors age 65 and older for tax years 2025-2028 will surface for the first time as this year’s IRS filing season gets underway. While the increased deduction is indeed beneficial for qualified taxpayers,…
2026 Social Seurity Payment Schedules
For those planning their income and expense cash flows for the coming year, now is a good time to examine the specific dates for Social Security benefit payments in 2026. A post yesterday by MSN.com’s David Maina provides a handy…