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Give your retirement plan a test run
Let’s say you’ve done all your homework and have put together what you believe is a solid retirement plan to carry you through your golden years in comfort. No matter how careful you are, that plan is really just a…
Does your state tax your Social Security benefits?
37 states don’t tax their residents’ Social Security benefits. Is your state one of them, or do you live in one of the 13 states that do levy tax on your Social Security income? And just how generally “tax friendly”…
Lost your Social Security card? Here’s what to do
If you have somehow lost your Social Security card, there are some things to do to not only get a replacement, but also ensuring that the lost card isn’t used for any nefarious purpose. Relatively speaking, getting a new card…
Here’s how to rebuild your retirement nest egg
During our working years, many of us focus intently on saving for our future retirement with contributions to an employer 401(k) and IRA’s, building a fairly nice nest egg to carry into our golden years. But life happens, and emergencies can crop…
Answers to some often-asked Social Security questions
Especially if you’re now approaching the age you become eligible for Social Security benefits, it’s important that you understand at least the basics of the program and how it will fit into your overall retirement plan. From the consequences of applying…
Want a bigger Social Security check? Here’s how
The most popular age to start Social Security seems to be 62, when those who have worked enough over their lifetime first become eligible to claim benefits. In fact, about 42% of men and 48% of women apply as soon…
Time to do a retirement plan checkup before year’s end
With the new year fast approaching, you still have time to do a checkup of your retirement plan, especially whether or not you’ve made the full allowable amount of contributions to your IRA and 401(k) retirement savings accounts. Now is…
2018 changes to the Social Security program
With Social Security representing a significant portion of their retirement income, those already collecting benefits and those preparing to do so should be aware of the changes being made to the program for 2018. From the new full retirement age, to…
Your 2018 Social Security payroll taxes: What they are and where they go
Everyone knows that Social Security taxes are withheld from their earnings, but the maximum earnings amount taxed changes periodically (often annually), so the total amount of tax you pay can change also. Your employer pays an equal amount, which means…
Your estimated Social Security benefit: That’s not what you’ll actually get
When you receive your Social Security benefit estimate in the mail, or even if you look at it in your My Social Security online account, don’t be fooled into thinking that is the exact amount you will be receiving. The benefit…