Latest News
Having the right mindset about claiming Social Security
There are few American’s who aren’t affected by Social Security, either those already collecting benefits or those whose paychecks are now contributing to the program. Indeed, while a large majority of those already retired say that Social Security plays a…
Don’t let Social Security myths cost you big money
Unless you’re part of the very upper financial echelon of Americans, your Social Security benefit is going to be a major part of your retirement income stream. Given that fact, it’s important to make sure that your decision on when…
Social Security’s expanded online services
Continuing its efforts to enhance the online capabilities available to Americans, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has announced to New York residents that they can now order replacement Social Security cards online, if they have already created a “My Social…
“Just hang up” on Medicare card scammers
Here we go again. It seems like scammers and cyber-criminals will exploit every possible opportunity to get your personal information to use for their nefarious purposes. The latest con is perpetrated via a telephone call from someone pretending to be from…
Misunderstandings about the Social Security program
An uncomfortably huge portion of American seniors simply don’t understand how the Social Security program works, which means that they could very well end up losing a considerable amount of the benefits available to them. Fully two-thirds of future retirees…
Planning for your “golden years”: The key elements to your retirement comfort
Although specifically targeted to Federal employees, this FedSmith.com article by Ian Smith provides an excellent model for all future Social Security beneficiaries by highlighting how a “three legged stool” approach – that is, pension, Social Security, and savings – will…
Options available for a couple claiming Social Security
In his regular column appearing at Arizona’s Tucson.com, retired Social Security employee Tom Margenau handles a question from a couple who are both 66 and looking to chose the right path forward, considering that the wife was a homemaker her…
Will your Social Security be as much as you think?
Expectations form a large part of retirement planning, and how your Social Security benefit fits into the overall plan for your golden years is worthy of careful consideration. Interestingly, a sizable percentage of retirees originally believed that their Social Security benefit…
High earners beware: You can’t live on just Social Security in retirement
At its inception, Social Security was never intended to be the sole source of income for people in retirement, and beneficiaries today will find that their benefit check provides, at most, only about 40% of what they need to live.…
Thoughts on Social Security as an “investment”
While it’s certainly not an “investment” in the traditional sense, viewing Social Security through the lens of a financial planner and comparing those “returns” to more traditional investment vehicles affords one a better understanding of the true value of this…