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Declining U.S. fertility rate spells trouble for Social Security
The U.S. fertility rate (average births per woman) has just hit a 30 year low of 1.76 which, according to some, portends a dire future for Social Security unless some action is taken soon. Historically, fertility rates have declined in periods…
With pension plans disappearing, how does one retire?
Defined benefit pension plans, long thought of as the foundation of one’s retirement, have all but gone by the wayside as people live longer and longer and employers seek more inventive ways to fund employees futures. Even Social Security, enacted in…
How did Social Security change in 2018?
The Social Security program is a very large and complex set of rules and regulations, over 2700 of them, that govern how, when and where a person can receive benefits. Some of the rules are fixed, but certain of them…
Some state employees get reduced Social Security benefits
In this Prescott, AZ eNews publication, Certified Social Security Advisor Russell Gloor of The AMAC Foundation responds to a question from a retiree whose Social Security benefit has been reduced because of a law enacted in 1983. That law, developed by…
Don’t lose money by making these Social Security mistakes
To contradict the old adage, what you don’t know CAN hurt you when it comes to your Social Security claiming strategy. While Social Security is seemingly simple on the surface, there are at least a few things that could result…
Social Security is only part of your retirement plan
Social Security was never meant to be your sole source of income in retirement. Although for some their Social Security benefit represents most of their income in their golden years, a more comfortable retirement will include Social Security as only a…
Worried about money and health in retirement? Here’s what to do
One of the top worries of those approaching or in the early stages of retirement is that they’ll run out of money, followed closely be concerns about their health as they age. That’s not especially surprising when you consider that…
Congress gets tough as Social Security office services decline
In the name of operating efficiency the Social Security Administration (SSA) continues to close field offices, which translates to longer wait times and fewer staff to respond to the needs of America’s senior citizens. And since the SSA administers other…
The case for taking Social Security early
Your full retirement age (somewhere between 66 and 67, depending on when you were born) is when you’ll get 100% of the benefit you’ve earned from a lifetime of working; if you claim benefits earlier they will be reduced and…
Approaching retirement? Here are some Social Security basics
If you’re approaching that magical age of retirement, you’ll soon find that Social Security will be an important part of your financial picture, and understanding some of the program’s most basic elements will put you further ahead of the average…