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Fixing Social Security: There’s no simple solution
Social Security’s long term financial difficulties are pretty well known by now, including that the Trust Funds’ asset reserves are projected to run out by 2034, a mere 17 years from now. And while the problem is well known, there…
Trustees forecast 2.2% COLA increase next year
Following years of anemic Cost of Living Adjustments for Social Security recipients, the program’s trustees, in their annual report released yesterday, forecast that next year’s COLA increase could be about 2.2%. While the final numbers won’t be known until later…
The 2016 Social Security Trustee’s Report, and what it shows
The annual Social Security Trustee’s Report is the definitive resource for those concerned about the program’s solvency and ability to pay future benefits. The latest report, released in 2016, shows important information about the effect of recent changes made as…
Figuring out how much retirement income you’ll need
One of the most prevalent opinions about retirement planning is that you’ll need somewhere between 70% and 90% of you’re pre-retirement income, often generalized as 80%. But would a better method be to figure out what your retirement expenses are likely to…
Are you ready for retirement? You’re not if you can’t answer these Social Security questions
Social Security is a cornerstone financial program for about 20 % of America’s entire population, and about a third of those benefitciaries rely on their benefits for at least 90% of their retirement income. Given the importance that Social Security…
Maximizing you Social Security benefit: Should you worry about it?
There certainly is a lot of discussion these days about maximizing Social Security benefits, and “when should I retire?” is clearly the most frequently asked question all advisors hear. But the biggest loopholes used in the past to maximize benefits,…
When it comes to retirement planning, what you don’t know WILL hurt you
To some, putting off until tomorrow what they could do today seems to be their life’s philosophy, but in retirement planning it’s an attitude that can spell disaster. Procrastination is a real enemy for those who want to retire in comfort (and…
Thinking about your retirement is a life-long process
Though statistics show that many people don’t start thinking about their retirement until their later years, the sure-fire way to arrive prepared for that phase of your life is to start thinking about it early. This NBC News Personal Finance…
Retirement is a wonderful new phase of life – live it!!!
Retirement for you may seem to instill something between fear and apathy, but if you approach it from the view that it’s just another phase of life you can spend your final decades living life to the fullest in the…
Bill to guarantee COLA increase introduced in Congress
Congressman Bruce Poliquin (R) of Maine has introduced a new bill to guarantee recipients of Social Security and VA benefits a 1.5% COLA increase in 2018. COLAs (Cost Of Living Adjustments) have been at historically low levels in recent years,…