Latest News
Clarifying the Importance of “Special Needs Trusts”
In a recent post on the San Diego Union Tribune website (click here to read), Certified Financial Planner® and personal finance columnist Liz Weston clarifies a misunderstanding about Social Security Disability benefits for the developmentally disabled, and provides an explanation of…
Claimed SS Too Early? You Might Be Able to Correct That
Life’s circumstances (such as a pandemic) may have forced you to claim your Social Security earlier than you planned or wanted. Though the age at which you claim permanently sets your benefit amount, if you find that you don’t actually…
Redesigned Social Security Statement Being Rolled Out Slowly
Back in May of this year, Social Security started a “soft launch” of a new and improved Social Security statement. The new statement is available now only on a very limited basis to selected near-retirees, but early reports are that…
Rethinking Social Security Because of COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on the American economy, causing many to lose their jobs, join the unemployment rolls, and dig into their retirement savings prematurely. It also forced some, who thought their Social Security claiming strategy was set, to reevaluate their plan and…
Waiting until 70 to Claim SS Isn’t Always the Right Move
Nearly all Social Security Advisors will tell you that waiting until you’re 70 years old to claim is how you maximize your monthly Social Security benefit. That’s sound advice, if all of your personal circumstances align to suggest that delaying…
Couple’s Age Difference Calls for Careful SS Planning
Most advisors warn that a married couple should always take a holistic view of their Social Security planning – one that considers the best strategy for them as a couple. Never is that more true than when there is a significant…
Social Security’s Online Services
In today’s connected world, Social Security has kept up with the trend to offer more and more services online. The Social Security Administration’s website – www.ssa.gov – offers a complete repository of the agency’s rules and regulations, including tools for estimating…
SS Hearing Judge Ruling on Disability Claim Reversed by Federal Court
As an instructional example how Social Security’s appeal process works, this Rueters article by Barbara Grzincic demonstrates that a denial of SS disability benefits need not end one’s quest. The normal SS appeal process includes four options – 1) Request for…
Social Security – a Key Element of Your Retirement Plan
Social Security was never designed, nor intended, to be a retiree’s sole source of income. The Social Security formula intentionally computes your benefit to be no more than 40% of your pre-retirement income. So even though you will need to have…
Inflation May Result in Highest COLA in Decades
Inflation is all over the media these days, but it only takes focus on the higher prices you’re paying for everything to know that inflation is soaring. A short trip to the supermarket, with a stop to fill your gas tank, tells…