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Federal Government options for dealing with Social Security’s ailing financial health
Sean Williams of The Motley Fool lists eight options the federal government has at its disposal for dealing with the looming shortfall in Social Security expected in just over a decade. Some include raising the retirement age to means-testing as well as…
Social Security quiz: retirement ages, benefits, and numbers
Social Security payments go out to over 62 million beneficiaries every month. It’s also the single greatest expenditure of the federal government at over $950 million per year. But how well do people understand the basics of this important program? …
Millennials, Social Security, and Retirement
For the 83 million Americans born between 1982 and 2000 (commonly referred to as Millennials), retirement is a ways away. But a big worry looms large for this demographic group, namely that despite all they’re paying into Social Security now, a full 80% state they…
Social Security, Myths, and Midterms: What Voters Need to Know
With the Social Security program expected to spend over $1 trillion next year and the midterm elections now less than two months away, many voters will want to separate fact from fiction, yet still understand the very real financial problems facing…
Questions and Answers about the term “Maximum” when it comes to Social Security
In this question and answer session, Thomas Margineau addresses a number of issues related to the word “maximum” as it relates to Social Security. This includes the current maximum benefit amount of $2,788, the current maximum age of 70 one…
WEP and GPO: How these two provisions affect Social Security recipients
Government workers in 15 states participate in retirement plans that do not include contributions to the Social Security program, which makes them vulnerable to two provisions that can reduce their benefits in retirement. The states are Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia,…
Rethinking retirement planning: portfolio withdrawals and Social Security
Conventional wisdom as widely published in retirement articles suggests withdrawing 4% of your portfolio each year of retirement (adjusted for inflation) and choosing a Social Security start date after conducting a break-even analysis. This MarketWatch article, however, suggests that this…
Differing life expectancies are changing Social Security’s progressive design
Social Security, by design, is progressive program intended to benefit lower earners most. But according to an issue brief released this week by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, improvements in mortality are changing the progressive nature of the…
Yes some Social Security benefits are taxable
Many retirees do get a rude awakening when filing income taxes each year. “I have to pay income tax on my Social Security, many ask.” The answer is “yes, in some cases”. The total due the IRS is dependent on income, but up…
What delaying Social Security by just a month can mean
With people having to decide between taking Social Security at age 62, where you realize the lowest possible monthly check, to age 70, where the maximum monthly check is realized, what might waiting just one more month mean? Dan Caplinger of…