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SSA issues public warning about scammers
In a public service announcement, the Social Security Administration (SSA) issued a warning to all Americans about criminals calling seniors and posing as Social Security representatives in an effort to defraud them. Sometimes these scammers are even “spoofing” the number…
April is National Social Security Month
The Social Security Administration has designated April as National Social Security month, a time when the agency promotes all of the many features available to seniors via America’s most important social benefit program. This month, the agency is placing special…
Expectations vs. reality when it comes to Social Security
When it comes to Social Security planning, it’s important to understand that what might seem logical to you may not be the reality with your Social Security benefits. This is especially true when both partners in a couple have earned…
Social Security taxes for the self-employed
Most of those who work for an employer don’t pay a lot of attention to Social Security taxes – they just know they are deducted from every paycheck. Many may not even know that their employer pays the government an equal…
Scammers are out in full force to get your Social Security
It’s a sad commentary on today’s society, but it seems there are no limits to the ends that criminals will go to try to bilk seniors out of money. The most recent scam is one that calls seniors to tell…
Figuring out your Social Security benefit amount
Clearly, Social Security is America’s most important benefit program, paying benefits each month to more than 63 million recipients and keeping a large number of them out of poverty. But the importance of this program and planning for retirement is…
Funding your retirement with your tax refund
According to the IRS, the average tax refund in 2018 was $3,169. Before you spend your tax refund, you may want to consider long-term strategies to build wealth with money you receive from the government. The attached article shows how…
One third of people have tapped into retirement accounts early
A recent study from MetLife has found that one third of people have tapped into their retirement accounts early. They also noted the reasons they spent the money on varies depending on age. For 28 percent of baby boomers who…
Reshaping the way Americans prepare for retirement by the use of technology
With innovations in automation and data analysis leading the way, technology is already reshaping how Americans prepare for retirement. According to a Mercer, the largest human resources consulting firm, some 85 percent of individuals have an interest in online financial…
Retirement savings and taxes
The U.S. tax code is not simple or straightforward and it is all the truer when you get to retirement and start to rely on various sources of income, many of which have different tax treatments. The attached article breaks…