Latest News
Social Security Recipients Losing Ground to Inflation
Despite the historic 8.7% increase in the 2023 monthly benefit for every Social Security recipient, American seniors continue to lose financial ground against inflation. A recent survey by the Senior Citizens League found that, since the year 2000, the average…
Separating Social Security Fact from Fiction
Social Security is a mammoth program, with over 2,700 rules to cover the myriad situations inherent with over 65 million current beneficiaries and at least as many future recipients. Is it any wonder, then, that there are numerous interpretations of…
2024 COLA Outlook: Not Rosy
The historically high 8.7% 2023 Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) was, to be sure, helpful to seniors struggling with especially high inflation experienced during 2022. But as that sentence suggests, that increase in 2023 Social Security payments did nothing to…
Prior Authorizations & Impact on Service Providers
With the exponential growth of seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans comes a downside for both plan subscribers and medical service providers. Advantage plans are, increasingly, requiring Prior Authorization of medical procedures as revealed in this RevCycle Intelligence article by…
Applying Online for Social Security
In “the good old days” applying for Social Security usually meant a trip to an often overcrowded and hectic Social Security field office to complete your application. That discomforting requirement gave way to applying for benefits over the phone after…
What If You Don’t Really Need Social Security?
Well, that certainly isn’t the case for most American seniors because, according to surveys, about half of all beneficiaries rely on Social Security as a “major” source of their retirement income, and for many as much as 90% or more…
Will Reaching the Debt Limit Affect Social Security Payments?
No doubt with all the media coverage surrounding current negotiations over the so-called “debt limit” which will be reached early next month, many seniors are getting nervous about whether their Social Security payments will arrive on time. Rightfully so, it…
Sometimes Claiming Social Security at 70 Isn’t the Right Choice
Most financial planners and Social Security Advisors – myself included – will encourage clients to wait as long a practical to claim Social Security benefits because doing so means a higher monthly amount. Social Security benefits don’t reach maximum until…
Early Thoughts About 2024 COLA
COLA – the annual Cost of Living Adjustment given to those collecting Social Security – is a mysteriously calculated percentage based upon year-to-year changes to a specific government index known as the “Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and…
Can I Get Social Security Disability While Living Abroad?
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits are payments provided to American workers who become disabled and are no longer able to perform “substantial gainful activity.” As you may have heard, getting approved for SSDI is a fairly lengthy process (unless…