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Key points to consider on surviving spouse benefits
There are two primary Social Security benefits that a surviving spouse may receive: one-time death payment of $255 and true survivor’s benefit. To receive the full survivor benefit, there are key points that factor into the amount you will receive.…
Are stock market gyrations a major obstacle to retirement?
A recent report by Gary Burtless, a senior fellow in economic studies and the John C. and Nancy D. Whitehead chair at the Brookings Institution, stated while usually drops in the stock market have “very limited impacts on the investment…
Have you factored in the cost of longevity into your retirement plan?
We are living in an age when medicine and technology are being designed to keep us living longer; however, will our retirement money last as long? One area facing retirees’ financial security is underestimating our longevity. Roughly 70 percent of…
Companies offer some form of severance and separation benefits
According to a “2017 – 2018 Severance & Separation Benefits Study, released by Lee Hecht Harrison and Compensation Resources Inc., employers continue to offer severance and separation benefits, but the terms and practices are becoming more flexible. The survey found…
Do you know the difference between Medicare and Medicaid?
The United States government has numerous programs to provide health coverage and other benefits to specific groups of people. Medicare and Medicaid, sound very similar and most people get them confused. The attached article reviews the basics of each of…
Social Security earnings test
If you’re working and you claimed your Social Security benefits before your full retirement age, you should be aware that Social Security has an earnings test. If you make more than the allowed threshold amount of earnings, you can end…
Do you know your full retirement age?
The age at which you first claim Social Security benefits can affect your ultimate payout. There is an eight-year window to file for benefits that begins at age 62 and ends at age 70 and somewhere in the middle of…
The mathematical principle of realistic compounding
Do you believe it’s too late to add to your retirement account? You probably can amass much more than you thought by the simple mathematical principle of compounding. The attached article introduces you to the idea of realistic compounding and…
Is claiming Social Security early right for you?
Are you thinking of claiming your Social Security benefits early? In Todd Campbell’s article posted on www.fool.com, he explains why claiming early is the best decision for him. Read his reasons why here… Notice: The link provided in the text above connects…
Your New Medicare Card is Coming–Without Social Security Numbers
In a little more than a month, the new Medicare identification cards–the versions without Social Security numbers–will begin arriving in mailboxes randomly across the country. Mark Harvey, director of information and assistance for the Olympic Area Agency on Aging, takes a…