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Social Security 101: A primer
Given that the Social Security program is so complex (over 2700 rules and regulations) it’s quite easy to get mired in those complexities when discussing America’s most important financial benefit program for seniors. So many different types of individual and…
How to maximize your Social Security benefit
So who doesn’t want to maximize their Social Security benefit? A silly question, for sure, because almost everyone who will rely on America’s most important senior benefit program will say they want to get the highest benefit possible. But, that…
The complexities of Social Security
Social Security is, necessarily, a very complex program. After all, it needs to handle every conceivable personal situation for many millions of American citizens, so Social Security is definitely not a “one size fits all’ program. And the complexity of the program…
How do survivor benefits work?
In this Cincinnati.com “Simply Money” article by Nathan Bachrach and Amy Wagner, the authors tackle a question from a reader about Social Security survivor’s benefits, also known as “widow’s benefits.” The article explains the basic parameters for when survivor benefits are…
America’s retirement crisis: Is it as gruesome as reported?
Listening to those endowed with so-called “conventional wisdom” one would think that the retirement outlook for future American seniors is bleak, as is often reported in various media outlets. But, in a report which takes an opposite position, The Urban Institute suggests that the continuing…
Survivors & life expectancy important when deciding when to claim Social Security
Deciding when to claim your Social Security benefits can be a frustrating exercise, largely because there are so many options. There’s actually an 8 year window – from age 62 to age 70 – during which you can claim, and…
Social Security scams – A sad true story
With the recent data breach at Capital One, on top of all the others we’ve heard about over the past year, the number of people receiving scam phone calls about their Social Security number has increased exponentially, and more people…
Debunking some myths about Social Security
With a program so large (over 63 million beneficiaries) and so complex (over 2700 rules and regulations), it’s no wonder that myths about the Social Security program abound. Some seem to be amazingly persistent despite efforts by many, including The…
Want the maximum Social Security benefit? Here’s how to get it
Of course everyone would like to get the maximum Social Security benefit, but the road to achieving that isn’t quite so easy. The amount of your Social Security benefit is equally influenced by the age at which you claim it and…
The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) – back in the spot light
Social Security’s Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) was enacted in 1983 as part of broader legislation to restore program solvency. WEP reduces Social Security benefits for anyone who also has a pension from an employer who did not participate in the…