Latest News
Seniors and the Student Loan Debt Crisis
The numbers are frightening…according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the last decade has seen a dramatic increase in the number of older Americans with student loan debt, much of which is attributable to loans they’ve co-signed on behalf of family…
More Thoughts on Filing at Age 62
The ongoing debate on the merits of deferring one’s Social Security filing date generates a fair amount of press, with some arguments explaining why it can be appropriate to file early and others strongly advocating waiting until full retirement age…
Retirement Decisions and How They’re “Framed”
“Framing”…are ensuring that all aspects of a decision are clearly understood, is critical to the success of financial decisions you’ll make for retirement. Using Social Security filing as an example, economics editor for American Public Media’s weekly “Marketplace Money” show Chris Farrell…
The Multiple Phases of Retirement
Bruce Helmer and Peg Webb, financial advisers at Wealth Enhancement Group and co-hosts of “Your Money” on News Radio 830 WCCO on Sunday mornings, take a look at life in retirement, breaking this life phase into three separate sub-phases. From…
Some Thoughts on Social Security and Medicare as Retirement Approaches
The Durango Herald’s Wendy Rice is a believer in the importance of careful planning for one of the most substantial decision points in your life…retirement. In fact, she believes that detail planning for the decisions one needs to made should commence…
Dealing with Market Volatility as You Approach Retirement
It’s been a good equity market for quite a while now, but most analysts–and history itself–tells you that over time, there are ups and downs that can cause major shifts in one’s financial resources. And, the close one is to…
Access Social Security’s Educator Tool Kit
(Source: Social Security Administration) With so many students gone for the summer, teachers may now have time to prepare a different kind of lesson plan. Help students prepare a better future for themselves with practical knowledge about financial planning. There’s…
Scams, scams, and more scams…You need to be Advised!
It seems there’s a never ending series of frauds being perpetrated across the country these days, and Social Security beneficiaries are often targeted in these situations. Just today, for example, the news streams brought attention to two such scams in progress, one…
Spousal benefits — it requires thought and a good conversation
Diane Pearson, a wealth advisor at Legend Financial Advisors in Pittsburgh stresses the importance of being diligent when it comes to spousal benefits. Spouses are generally entitled to an amount equal to half of the higher earner’s benefits. Once the…
Social Security for Family Leave? It’s Controversial.
Sen. Marco Rubio introduced a bill that would allow parents to cash in a portion of their future Social Security benefits early to finance family leave. The proposal is to give new parents the option to take at least two months…