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What you can do about the Equifax data breach
By now most consumers know about the massive breach of personal information for about 143 million Americans. Equifax has been scrambling trying to offer suggestions for how to protect yourself, but the suggestions they’re offering are mostly about using their own credit monitoring…
When claiming Social Security at 62 is a bad idea
Of course, there’s never a simple answer to the question of when to apply for Social Security. Each person’s circumstance is different, and for married couples there are actually two people whose benefits might be affected by the decision. At first glance,…
Brushing up on Social Security survivor’s benefits
Losing a loved one is never easy, but knowing that Social Security survivor’s benefits will be there to help can go a long way toward easing your anxiety Generally, survivor’s benefits are usually available to the dependents of a worker…
Working in retirement? It’s a way of life for some
For many, retirement is not decades of leisure dozing in a hammock and remembering a lifetime of working. Many senior are finding they have no desire to simply hang up on work, but rather want to continue being active. The…
Are your retirement needs a mystery?
If you’re in the dark about how much money you’ll need in retirement and where it will come from, you’re in good company. Over 80% of Americans have no clue about how to fund their retirement years, and most of…
How much Social Security would the average $30,000 worker receive?
Of course, the actual benefit amount for each Social Security beneficiary can only be determined from their personal earnings record and the age at which they decide to start collecting benefits. But it’s still an interesting exercise to take a…
Don’t be scared by these misconceptions about Social Security
Working while you’re collecting Social Security, how the family maximum might affect you, and if and how your benefits are taxed are often terribly misunderstood by those approaching or already collecting Social Security benefits. And of course, these are very…
Which States don’t tax Social Security income, and are they really “tax friendly”?
It’s a fact that a majority of U.S. States – 37 out of 50 – don’t tax your Social Security income, which is of course an important factor in most seniors’ retirement planning. But just because a state doesn’t tax…
Claiming Social Security at 62: Here are some good reasons
62 is the most common age for both men and women to start collecting their Social Security benefits, but doing so means that their benefits will be permanently reduced from what they might otherwise be. But despite the carrot of higher…
A Health Savings Account (HSA) could be your ticket to offset retirement healthcare costs
Health Savings Accounts have been around for a long time, but are only recently catching on as an excellent way to deal with the ever-increasing costs of healthcare in retirement. The basic concept is pretty simple: While you are working…