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7 Things Everyone Gets Wrong About Social Security and Divorce
Robin Hartill covers an often overlooked issue with Social Security in this piece. While many people do qualify for more Social Security simply by claiming based on their own work record, rather than an ex’s, collecting on an ex’s record…
Answer These 3 Questions Before Claiming Social Security Benefits
Without Social Security nearly 38% of seniors would be living in poverty, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Thus it is incredibly important to answer these three questions before starting benefits, according to Selena Maranjian. Knowing full retirement age…
Direct Deposit: A Fast, Convenient, and Secure Way to Receive Your Benefit Payments
(Source – blogs.ssa.gov) At Social Security and Veterans Affairs, issuing timely benefit payments is a core service we both provide. After all, we know you want your benefits on time to cover your household or medical expenses. The most secure…
Tips on answering your federal employee retirement application
Are you a Federal employee and getting ready to retire? Are you reviewing your retirement application and don’t know how to answer the question about your court-ordered survivor annuity? If you are not sure how to answer it correctly and…
The pandemic is postponing retirement but not for the reason you might think
The worldwide pandemic has forced some people to postpone their retirement for financial reasons and others the work keeps them busy. Since many jobs are now home-based, working from home is significantly less stressful. “Some people who were on the…
A few things you can do with a “my Social Security” account
Do you have a “my Social Security” account? Do you know all the things you can do with your “my Social Security” account? You can request a replacement Social Security card, get your benefit verification letter and check your benefit…
Doctor visits were down in 2020 but HSA spending was up
Although the doctor and hospital visits were down in 2020, there were significant increases in health savings account spending. According to a new report from Lively, Inc., an HSA provider, “change in consumer behavior due to COVID-19 and shelter-in-place orders…
Is paying off your mortgage before you retire a good thing?
Many people have their mortgage paid off before they retire while others are striving to reach that goal. But, is that the best choice? Are you better off using that money to increase your long-term savings or pay down costlier…
How much do you need to live in your state comfortably
Using data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, the financial news company 24/7 Wall St. compiled what it would cost to retire…
Even a small amount of money can add up over time
Everyone’s goal is to reach financial freedom in retirement. Some people started early and saved while others started later and need to catch up, to achieve some form of financial freedom in retirement. But even a small amount of money…