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How “Disability” is Defined by Social Security
The Social Security Administration processes nearly 2 million disability applications every year, but only about 35% of those applications are actually awarded disability benefits – a pretty staggering statistic, especially if you’re thinking about applying for SS Disability because you…
Working After Age 62, and How It Affects Your Social Security
For many Americans, working past age 62 has become normal, especially with soaring inflation and steadily improving healthcare services. Of course, age 62 is also the age at which each worker becomes eligible for Social Security benefits, so it’s important…
Your Full Retirement Age, And How It Affects Your Social Security Benefit
Your Social Security “full retirement age” (or “FRA” as it is affectionately known) plays a big part in how much your monthly benefit will be when you claim Social Security. No longer age 65 for everyone (as it was for…
Retirement Evolves in Phases
What does “retirement” mean to you? If your view of retirement is simply that you stop working and have a lot of extra time to do things you’ve previously put off doing, it may be time for you to take…
Medicare Advantage Buyer’s Remorse? Here’s How You Can Change Plans.
“Buyer’s remorse,” of course, is when you buy something and later find out you made a poor buying decision, and that is what happens to some who enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan during the Open Enrollment period in the…
Thinking of Early Retirement? Read This First
It’s a fairly common dream most American workers have – retiring early to so-called “golden years” filled with a life of leisure doing all the things you’ve put off doing while pursuing your career. But whatever your definition of “early…
You Can’t Live on Social Security Alone
The bible tells us that “man shall not live on bread alone,” which could be a metaphor for trying to live on only your Social Security benefits. A Social Security reality is that it was never intended to be your…
The Maximum Social Security Benefit? Not So Generous As It Seems
Sure, getting that 2022 maximum $4,194 Social Security sounds like a windfall to most of us. But pulling down that big check may not seem so attractive when you consider what you would need to do and how much you…
A Few Social Security Basics
Social Security is an exceedingly complex topic, with some 2,700 rules covering just about any circumstance which might apply to an individual, or a married couple. Some of these rules are targeted toward very unique situations, and others deal with…
“Gig Workers, Beware.” Social Security Alone May Not Carry You in Retirement.
The segment of the U.S. workforce considered to be freelance or “gig” workers is emerging as a major segment. Workers categorized in this segment, of course, pay into Social Security via their Schedule C and/or Schedule SE filings at tax…