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Social Security in 2026
Each year, the Social Security Administration implements changes which can effect you, even if you are not yet collecting retirement benefits. Those changes are largely based upon national economic conditions and, for higher earners, will affect how much SS tax…
Claiming Social Security at 62: Discussing the Pros and Cons
In this interesting article by Kerry Hannon at Yahoo! Finance, the author provides an interesting perspective about the wisdom of claiming Social Security retirement benefits at the earliest possible age (62). It has been an ongoing debate with many diverse…
Watch Your Mailbox After Christmas. SSA-1099s In the Mail Soon
SSA-1099s and SSA-1042S will be available in your My Social Account online on Christmas Day. Social Security will begin mailing them out on December 26th, and they should all be received in the mail by the end of January. A…
Are You Ready to Retire in 2026?
When making your retirement decision, there are some things you should take into consideration. Your health, your expected longevity (of course no one knows how long they are going to live, so look at your family history), your other retirement…
Some potential changes to your new Medicare Advantage plan
Were you one of the over 2.6 million seniors whose Medicare Advantage plan was terminated in 2026? Or are you one of the many seniors -no exact number yet – that switched their Medicare Advantage coverage for other reasons that…
The Maximum Social Security Benefit for 2026 is $5,181
If you delayed taking your Social Security until age 70 and are turning 70 in 2026, and paid Social Security taxes on the maximum taxable amount of earnings for 35 years, your benefit will be maxed out at $5,181. However,…
Didn’t Get Your Social Security Payment? Now what?
There are various reasons you may not have received your Social Security payment when you expected it. The date is one of them. Payments go out based on the date of your birthday, or your spouse’s birthday if you are…
Potential Improvements to Medicare Advantage
Although 2026 has not yet started, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D proposed rule. CMS-4212 P proposes several changes to modernize the Medicare Advantage (MA) program, including significant adjustments…
You may still qualify for Social Security without earning the required 40 credits.
To qualify for retirement benefits on your own Social Security record, you must earn at least 40 credits. On average, it only takes 10 years to earn enough credits. You can earn up to four credits each year. In 2025,…
Are you 65 or older? There is a new tax break for you on your 2025 Tax Return.
Your Social Security Benefits may still be taxable on your 2025 tax return. However, there is a new $6,000 additional standard deduction available to people 65 or older, which was included in the Big Beautiful Bill. You may claim this…