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A silver lining in rising gas prices?
Anyone who drives has certainly noticed by now that the price of gasoline has been steadily rising and, by all projections they are expected to continue upward throughout the summer. This is due to rising crude oil prices, especially on the…
Delay distributing new Medicare cards; but watch out for scams
The much-reported new Medicare cards, sans Social Security numbers, which were slated to start being distributed in April 2018 have been slightly delayed to deal with some unnamed security issues. Distribution is now scheduled to start next month (May) and…
Replacing your Social Security card has gotten easier
For many Americans, that Social Security card probably first issued when they were just youngsters has gotten quite badly tattered or perhaps was even lost. If fears of a long wait at your local Social Security office to get a…
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…