Latest News
Update on the Social Security Fairness Act
The much-heralded “Social Security Fairness Act” resulted in increased Social Security benefits for anyone who was previously affected by either the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) or the Government Pension Offset (GPO). These provisions affected anyone who had earned both a…
The Ongoing Saga of the “One Big, Beautiful Bill”
H.R. 1 – The One Big Beautiful Bill Act of the 119th Congress – passed in the House of Representatives last month and is now in the U.S. Senate for deliberation prior to sending to the Executive Branch for enactment.…
Where does Social Security fit in your retirement plan?
If you’ve worked over your lifetime, you can likely expect to receive Social Security benefits when you eventually retire. And that is surely a good thing. Indeed, about 94% of those who now collect Social Security say that it is…
Advisory: If you take Social Security and are delinquent on your Student Loan
Consider this a “heads up” advisory! Starting “sometime this summer” the federal government may start garnishing some Social Security payments for beneficiaries who are delinquent on their student loans. While it may seem inconsistent that someone receiving Social Security still…
Supreme Court hands White House a victory
In a majority opinion, with its liberal justices dissenting, The Supreme Court ruled that President Trump’s signature “DOGE” (Department of Government Efficiency) can have access to sensitive Social Security records. Although opponents feared that unfettered access to the records might…
Are You Really Ready for Retirement?
Suddenly pulling the plug on a decades long working career can be disconcerting at best, and traumatic at worst! So, are you really ready for that? Going from a 40 to 50 hour work week, to suddenly having nothing but…
CMS expanding its efforts to audit MA plans
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced it is expanding its efforts to audit Medicare Advantage (MA) plans risk adjustment payments through the Risk Adjustment Data Validation (RADV) program. A risk adjustment factor (RAF) is calculated for each…
Retiring abroad has its challenges
Social media is full of advice for retirees wanting to live abroad. Their videos highlight the lower cost of living in places like Costa Rica, Malaysia, and Portugal. Yes, other countries have lower living costs, but that does not mean…
Funding public services
We have all heard the cry “Tax the rich” when it comes to public funding of services. The U.S. tax system is very progressive; the more you earn, the higher your tax rate. The “top” 1 percent of earners paid…
The next batch of drugs under negotiations
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a draft guidance on May 12th for the third round of Medicare drug negotiations. The government has until the end of November to announce the agreed-upon Medicare prices, with the lower…