Latest News
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…
Social Security’s Insolvency…A “Warning” of Sorts
Former NBC “Today Show” financial editor Jean Chatzky offers commentary on Social Security’s projected insolvency, teaming up with Washington Post personal finance writer Michelle Singletary to describe the steadily developing train wreck facing America’s seniors in just a few years. The…
Why is Social Security so confusing?
Social Security has over 2,700 rules! To make it even more confusing, the SSA website has over 110,000 pages! Then, to make it even more challenging, the rules for different topics aren’t always located in the same section. You have…
Should I delay taking my Social Security until 70?
If you are in a position to delay taking Social Security until 70, it does have its benefits. Your benefit increases by 76% between the ages of 62 and 70. It doesn’t matter if your full retirement age (FRA) is…
Medicare paid $536 million for remote patient monitoring in 2024
In 2024, Medicare paid $536 million for remote patient monitoring, a 31 percent increase from 2023. Remote patient monitoring (RPM) is a technology that allows healthcare providers to collect and analyze patient health data from a distance, typically in the…
Is a Big Cost-of-Living Increase Really a Good Thing?
The Cost-of-Living Increase (COLA) grows as inflation grows. Estimates for the COLA increase in 2026 are now rising, with some saying as high as 2.7%. Inflation had started slowing down at the beginning of the year and is now rising…