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Another Call for a “Bipartisan Commission” to Study Social Security Insolvency
Although it’s been discussed off and on for the past couple of years, no concrete steps have been taken to create a bipartisan commission to develop a solution to the fast-approaching cliff facing Social Security. Two New York Congressmen, Rep.…
Some Suggestions for Dealing with the Unknowns of Retirement Finances
Planning for the financial side of retirement can be a daunting task. After all, it’s kind of like the famous (infamous?) remarks uttered in 2002 by then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, who said, “[A]s we know, there are known knowns;…
Illegal Immigrants and Social Security: A Quirky Situation
It’s kind of a reversal of the oft-repeated mythical allegation that illegal immigrants are receiving Social Security benefits. (This allegation, incidentally, conflates Supplemental Security Income, which is not Social Security and Social Security benefits, and is miscommunicated repeatedly in social…
How Medicaid home care programs support caregivers
Generally, Medicare does not cover home care (home and community-based services or HCBS). In 2022, Medicaid paid for two-thirds of home care spending in the United States. Medicaid supports family caregivers with various services such as training, support groups, and…
Myth Patrol: Dispelling Two Persistant Questions on Social Security Planning
In many respects, financial planning for retirement is somewhat of a crystal ball experience. There are certainly unknowns, and that makes planning difficult. But there are myths and misunderstandings, which add more uncertainty to the process. The American Society of…
SSA Announcements Improvements in Document Processing
A part of its pursuit of “faster and more error-free processing and better service” for its customer base, the Social Security Administration (SSA) recently announced procedural improvements in the handling of documents previously requiring physical signatures. More than 30 forms…
Retiring in 2025? Read on.
If you’re on the verge of “taking the plunge” into Social Security’s world of retirement benefits, now would be a good time to reflect on a short series of key factors that may help you in a final decision. The…
Boosting Your Monthly Social Security Benefit Payment
Getting the highest benefit payment you’re entitled to is a legitimate goal for seniors in their retirement financial planning, but how do you do that? Well, one of the most obvious steps is to defer claiming benefits as long as…
Inadequacy of COLA in the News Again
January Social Security benefits are underway at this point and, once again, observations of the COLA calculation process and its inadequacy to preserve purchasing power for seniors are surfacing. For example, a post this weekend by The Motley Fool’s Keith…
Arguments For and Against WEP-GPO Repeal Continuing to Surface
As noted in today’s headline post on this site, President Biden’s January 5 signing of the “Social Security Fairness Act” of 2023 into law continues to churn the media airwaves in its aftermath. Here are some examples of what’s surfacing:…