Latest News
SSA Website Upgrades Driven by Customer Feedback
In an era of improving the customer experience, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has implemented significant improvements to its online presence, as explained by SSA’s acting chief business officer, Eric Powers n an interview with Federal News Network reporter Tom…
Qualifying for Spousal Benefits in a Divorce Situation
The rules surrounding the availability of Social Security benefits for divorced spouses can seem a bit daunting at first look. In a nj.com article by Karin Price Mueller, the set of parameters applied to benefit eligibility for a divorced spouse–in…
Understanding How the 2023 COLA Relates to Your Benefit Amount
Something that’s often overlooked when assessing retirement cash flow in an early retirement situation is the math behind the application of annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs). CNBC personal finance reporter explains how an early filing decision leads to a curtailment of…
Social Security’s Looming Insolvency Debated Live
Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) and MSNBC’s Joy Reid went head-to-head on the issue of Social Security’s financial future last night’s The ReidOut show, with Reid taking the uninformed view that the projected depletion of the program’s cash reserves is not a…
The Early Filing Question (Again)–More Viewpoints
One of the most frequent questions we receive here at the AMAC Foundation’s Social Security Advisory Service deals with when to start drawing retirement benefits, and specifically the economics associated with starting at the earliest possible age (62). We typically…
Another Indictment of Social Security’s COLA and its Inadequacy
Sure, the 8.7% cost-of-living adjustment showing up beginning this month in beneficiaries’ monthly payments is welcomed relief, but the question of how well it compensates for inflation is subject to frequent questions. In a nasdaq.com post by Bram Berkowitz, the…
What Secure 2.0 Could Mean for Your Retirement Planning
The much-discussed $1.7 trillion spending bill signed into law in December, contained a lot of items subject to ongoing scrutiny but, for those deep into retirement financial planning, the Secure 2.0 provisions embedded in the details should be studied carefully.…
Questions About Social Security?
As always, the new year brings a spate of questions about Social Security, usually in terms of new limits going into effect. This year, of course, there’s a fair amount of interest in knowing how much of the 8.7% cost-of-living…
A Summary Look at Where Social Security Benefits Fit in Your Retirement Planning
Business Columnist Chet Osterhoudt, in an Edward Jones-written article posted today on rockymounttelegram.com, offers conjecture for those concerned about how Social Security factors into their retirement financial planning. The article confirms the program’s Trustees Report projection that benefits cut face…
New Rules for Retirement Account–A Quick Refresher
The recently-passed $1.7 trillion spending bill includes a host of big-ticket items, but one of the more obscure segments of the legislation has a direct bearing on many folks’ retirement financing strategies. If you are the owner of a 40a(k),…