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A Sometimes-Overlooked Social Security Benefit for Divorcees
A divorced person over age 62 has an option to receive Social Security benefits on the work record of a former spouse, assuming certain tests can be met (for example, the marriage must have lasted ten years or longer). Also,…
Social Security Terms in Plain Language
(Source: Social Security Administration) Some of the terms and acronyms (an abbreviation of the first letters of words in a phrase) people use when they talk about Social Security can be a little confusing. We’re here to help you understand…
The Federal Debt and its Potential Impact on Social Security
Yahoo Finance’s Nick Robertson, in a post on their website, takes a look at the projected growth in our federal debt level, citing expectations from the Congressional Budget Office that point to an average deficit of $1.2 trillion per year between 2020…
President Trump: Payroll Tax Cut Off the Table
In a reversal of thought highlighted in our Headline article from yesterday, the Washington Post carried a clip of President Trump explaining that there is no need for a payroll tax cut to stimulate the economy. Citing a strong economy…
The Downside of a 401k Account
During one’s working years, as wealth accumulation is taking place, the conventional wisdom says to take full advantage of 401k opportunities, especially to get the benefit of an employer match. Then there’s the ability to avoid taxation of current income.…
Who Pays What When it Comes to Tax on Social Security Benefits
For those already drawing Social Security retirement payments, it’s no secret who is assessed Federal Income Tax on their monthly benefits. But for those aging into Social Security, it’s a good idea to understand the mechanics of how these tax…
Retaining Your Quality of Life Under Social Security Alone
America’s “savings crisis” has been discussed frequently in financial and governmental media outlets especially from the perspective of retirees without adequate–or any–savings to supplement those monthly benefit checks. Forbes contributor Teresa Ghilarducci adds perspective to this discussion with an article titled…
More on the Rumored Social Security Tax Cut
USA Today contributor Paul Davidson, in a post on www.usatoday.com, notes that “several prominent economists” downplay the effectiveness of a cut in the FICA rate from 6.2% to 4.2%, suggesting that workers might not freely spend the extra cash in their…
SSDI’s Compassionate Allowances List Expanded
CDKL5 deficiency disorder, Pitt Hopkins syndrome, primary peritoneal cancer and Richter syndrome have been added to Social Security’s Compassionate Allowances list. This list, which now identifies 237 conditions that help expedite Disability benefits for applicants, can be viewed on the…
The “Retirement Crisis”…More than Just Fixing Social Security
Anyone tuned into the news about America’s retirement system are keenly aware of Social Security’s solvency dilemma and the actions being debated in Congress to fix the problem. But according to Financial Regulation News’ Douglas Clark, the problem is broader than…