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Getting the Maximum Benefit: Is it in your future?
The individual maximum monthly benefit payable via Social Security has now reached $4,194. Nice, huh? So what does it take to get there, and what if you things just don’t line up correctly to make this a reality for you?…
The Declining Net Social Security Benefit Dilemma
The taxation of Social Security benefits is becoming a hot issue these days, especially at this time of the year as we all dutifully file our federal income tax returns and many of us once again are reminded of how…
Spousal benefits, Survivor benefits, and the Family Maximum…A potpourri of information and explanations
Social Security expert Laurence Kotlikoff, Forbes contributor and Professor of Economics at Boston University, tackles a series of particularly complex issues in his regular “Ask Larry” Q&A series. He begins with a response to a question about how a disabled…
Survivor Benefits and the Implications of Your Filing Decision
As we’ve stressed repeatedly to those we’ve counseled over the years, consideration of survivor benefits needs to be a critical part of the decision on when to begin drawing retirement benefits. In summary, filing early (before full retirement age) will…
Attention Women: Some things to think about regarding Social Security
There are several important aspects of Social Security that women contemplating their retirement years need to consider, from building their own work record and what happens absent a work record, to benefits available to divorced spouses and surviving spouses. It…
Some thoughts on getting the most out of Social Security
Anyone taking a look at Social Security, either from a long-range planning standpoint or from a close-to-taking-the-step position, needs to pay attention to some key strategical points that could help them in the long run. Whether it’s the strategy of…
Don’t delay and sign up now
You can start your Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62 or as late as age 70. The majority of financial experts advise you to delay benefits beyond your full retirement age, so the amount of your retirement…
The remarriage rule
Social Security Administration has thousands of rules; some make sense, then some do not. There is one particular rule that many individuals find bewildering; it is the remarriage rule. The simple act of remarriage, if done at the wrong time,…
Protect yourself from scammers
Beware, scammers are using regular mail delivery to send fraudulent letters on SSA letterhead, advising the recipient to call a toll-free number to activate an increase in SSA benefits, such as a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). The letters appear to be…
Time is running out to change your Medicare Advantage plan
Sometimes things don’t work out as you hope they would. If you’re unhappy with your Medicare Advantage Plan (Medicare Part C), you have options? Each year, there’s a Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from January 1 – March 31. Sarah…