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Plenty of Retirement Savings? Here’s When To Claim Social Security
This somewhat esoteric article is for those fortunate enough to have accumulated a sizable retirement nest egg, and who don’t urgently need their Social Security benefit to enjoy retirement. Surely not a majority of Americans, but applicable for those who…
Claiming Early Cuts Survivor Benefits Too
An interesting reality is that most Social Security beneficiaries claim their retirement benefits early, many as soon as they are eligible at age 62. The implications of that – essentially a permanently reduced monthly benefit – are personal for those…
“Live long and prosper” – How to do both
Star Trek’s iconic Mr. Spock character offered this Vulcan greeting in nearly all of the fictional Star Trek episodes, almost certainly without thought about how the words apply to real retirement. Of course, we all want to live long in…
Saving For Your Retirement
It’s hardly new news – most Americans are facing a crisis in retirement, having saved insufficiently to attain true comfort in their golden years. As inconvenient as that fact may be, it emphasizes the need to start saving for your…
Changing Your Legal Name With Social Security
Things happen in life – people get married and people divorce, which may mean a change to one’s legal last name. And sometimes, a person may find that the name on their Social Security card is spelled incorrectly and needs…
Retired and Working? What to Look Out For
It’s a fact of life these days – more and more people are returning to the workforce after they retire from their lifetime career. Some do it out of necessity, and some do it out of boredom, but it’s not…
Is Your Local Social Security Office Fully Open?
It was with considerable fanfare that the Social Security Administration announced earlier this month that all Social Security field offices would open for normal in-person visits on April 7th. With all offices closed to in-person services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,…
Retirement Planning for Couples with an Age-Gap
Retirement planning is different when there is a gap in age between partners, and that largely has to do with the life expectancy of each partner. Chances are, if the age gap is significant, the older partner will die first,…
Many Uncertain About Social Security
It probably isn’t a big surprise, but many Americans don’t feel they are well-educated about how Social Security works, and especially how their own benefits will be determined. Surveys show that the group most concerned about Social Security education is…
Retirement Surprise: High Healthcare Costs
Let’s face it – getting older increases the likelihood that your healthcare costs are going to be higher. According to a recent study, the average senior will spend about $300,000 for regular healthcare services in retirement, and that doesn’t include…