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Senate Hopeful Advocates for Major Changes to Social Security and Medicare
Mike Franken, Democrat candidate for the U.S. Senate in Iowa, on Monday announced several substantial changes he would advocate for in Social Security and Medicare. Specifically, his position is that the cap on earnings subject to payroll tax should be…
Sage Advice: Keep An Eye on Your Earnings Information
Mistakes do occur. After all, the passage of earnings information from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to the Social Security Administration involves a fair number of moving parts, and the passage of information from employers to the IRS in the…
The Magic Formula for Answering the “When to Retire” Question
The sad truth is that there really is no such “magic formula,” at least according to an article by Alyssa Place, Executive Editor at benefitnews.com. As explained in her article, the key to answering the question for most people lies…
A Quick Review of How Retirement Benefits Are Calculated
It’s somewhat of a mystery to many folks, and especially to those who have not focused on how their Social Security benefit has been (or will be) calculated. And while it may seem a bit complicated, here is a logical…
Coming to Grips with Social Security’s Uncertainties
As indicated in today’s headline post on this site, there is some degree of optimism that Congress can be spurred into action to address Social Security’s long-term funding problem; nevertheless, those looking into their future retirement plans decades from now…
Retirement Planning Strategies: File Early and Invest the Payments?
Choosing to begin Social Security retirement benefits at the earliest possible point–age 62–remains the most popular choice for many aging into the program. Some select this option out of financial necessity, while some favor the option of simply using Social…
Survey Finds Widespread Support for Options to Address Social Security Funding Word
A University of Maryland School of Public Policy survey conducted earlier this year indicated that there may be widespread public support for a series of key initiatives aimed at addressing the program’s long-term funding shortfall. As reported in a thinkadvisor.com…
The Single-Most Important Question to Ask When Selecting a Benefits Start Date
It’s not something any of us likes to dwell on, but when you’re trying to decide on when to begin drawing your Social Security retirement benefits it’s a key question: What is your expected life span? What makes it even…
A SEP IRA offers distinct advantages if you’re self-employed
A 401(k) plan is a company-sponsored retirement account to which employees can contribute income, while employers may match contributions. But what if you are self-employed? Simplified Employee Pension Plans (SEP IRAs) help self-employed individuals and small-business owners get access to…
The secret weapon in your retirement savings arsenal
Do you have a health savings account? If so, you have a secret retirement plan. A health savings account is a type of savings account that lets you set aside money on a pre-tax basis to pay for qualified medical…