Latest News
New Medicare cards are on the way
If you haven’t already heard, Medicare is issuing new identification cards to all 55 million beneficiaries between April 2018 and April 2019. The new card will use an alpha-numeric ID which replaces your Social Security Number (SSN), in an effort to…
The “Hold Harmless” provision: Social Security’s double-edged sword
Meant as protection for beneficiaries, the “hold harmless” provision says that a recipient’s Social Security benefit can’t go down because of an increase in Medicare premiums. That means that for many of those on Social Security their Medicare premium is held…
When it comes to Social Security, never do this
Social Security is a complex topic, with over 2700 different rules and regulations that create a myriad of options for people contemplating when to start their benefits, or wondering if they can get benefits as a survivor, a spouse or…
Younger spouse needs healthcare coverage until Medicare kicks in
It’s a fairly common retirement dilemma: the younger spouse of an older worker isn’t eligible for Medicare, forcing the older spouse to continue working to get family coverage through an employer’s healthcare plan until the younger spouse becomes eligible for Medicare. If…
Social Security’s online services mean less wait when you need answers
It’s a fairly common complaint from those who try to call or visit their local Social Security office: The wait times are long and frustrating to get assistance with even the most trivial of needs. In an effort to relieve…
Filing for Social Security early means a smaller benefit for life
In this informative article by financial advisor Bill Jones appearing the the Tallahassee (FL) Democrat, the author describes a client’s dilemma with feeling she had filed for Social Security too early and was getting much less than she was entitled…
Claiming Social Security at age 65, and the consequences thereof
For some Americans, age 65 is fixed in their mind as the date they should take their Social Security benefits. That’s probably because 65 was once Social Security’s “full retirement age”, the age at which you get 100% of the benefits…
Working longer can make up for savings shortfall
Just about every article you read about retirement, regardless of your current age, will focus a lot of attention on the need to maximize your savings, starting as young as possible, to enjoy a comfortable retirement. That’s much easier said…
An honest mistake with potentially huge consequences
What would you do if your opened your mail one day and found an application for Social Security benefits, complete with detailed personal information, that belonged to another person? And how would you feel when you realized that if you received…
Claiming Social Security early, and the risk of late-life poverty
Age 62 – the minimum age for claiming Social Security – is clearly the most popular age at which people claim their Social Security benefits. But by claiming at that early age, they are taking a significant cut in what…