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The jigsaw puzzle of retirement
Retirement planning is the process you put in place to maintain your finances after you leave the workforce. For some people, it can be overwhelming, while for others, it can be a game. Game? Yes, Phil Wright, Certified Fund Specialist,…
COLA Watch 2023…The developing story
We’re still a long way off from the October announcement of Social Security’s cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2023, and quite a bit will be happening on the economic front between now and then (likely in both directions). Despite the uncertainties…
Getting the Maximum Benefit: Is it in your future?
The individual maximum monthly benefit payable via Social Security has now reached $4,194. Nice, huh? So what does it take to get there, and what if you things just don’t line up correctly to make this a reality for you?…
The Declining Net Social Security Benefit Dilemma
The taxation of Social Security benefits is becoming a hot issue these days, especially at this time of the year as we all dutifully file our federal income tax returns and many of us once again are reminded of how…
Spousal benefits, Survivor benefits, and the Family Maximum…A potpourri of information and explanations
Social Security expert Laurence Kotlikoff, Forbes contributor and Professor of Economics at Boston University, tackles a series of particularly complex issues in his regular “Ask Larry” Q&A series. He begins with a response to a question about how a disabled…
Survivor Benefits and the Implications of Your Filing Decision
As we’ve stressed repeatedly to those we’ve counseled over the years, consideration of survivor benefits needs to be a critical part of the decision on when to begin drawing retirement benefits. In summary, filing early (before full retirement age) will…
Attention Women: Some things to think about regarding Social Security
There are several important aspects of Social Security that women contemplating their retirement years need to consider, from building their own work record and what happens absent a work record, to benefits available to divorced spouses and surviving spouses. It…
Some thoughts on getting the most out of Social Security
Anyone taking a look at Social Security, either from a long-range planning standpoint or from a close-to-taking-the-step position, needs to pay attention to some key strategical points that could help them in the long run. Whether it’s the strategy of…
Don’t delay and sign up now
You can start your Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62 or as late as age 70. The majority of financial experts advise you to delay benefits beyond your full retirement age, so the amount of your retirement…
The remarriage rule
Social Security Administration has thousands of rules; some make sense, then some do not. There is one particular rule that many individuals find bewildering; it is the remarriage rule. The simple act of remarriage, if done at the wrong time,…