Latest News
Some tax planning strategies for Baby Boomers
Financial writer Larry Hungerford takes a look at some interesting tax planning strategies for new and future retirees in an article posted on www.journalnow.com, Surprisingly, he covers ways to work around the impact of taking Social Security early, and suggests investment mixes that…
The Disappearing Social Security Trust Fund Balance
The Motley Fool’s Sean Williams discusses the projected evaporation of Social Security’s Trust Fund balance and its implications for beneficiaries in an article appearing today on www.fool.com. As part of his analysis of the situation, he offers suggestions for steps future…
Claiming Benefits at Age 62? You’re Not Alone!
Despite the heavy–25% to 30%–reduction, nearly half of Social Security’s beneficiaries claim their monthly check at the earliest possible date, according to a post by the Motley Fool’s Sean Williams on host.madison.com. And while there are some very valid situations where…
House Ways and Means Social Security and Oversight Committee Brief
The Ways and Means Social Security and Oversight Subcommittees – chaired by Reps. Sam Johnson (R-TX) and Vern Buchanan (R-FL) – yesterday held a hearing examining how Social Security works for the nearly three-quarters of state and local workers who participate…
Retiring early? Beware of Social Security’s “earnings limit” test!
Claiming Social Security benefits before full retirement age (FRA) and shoring up the difference with part-time work can at first glance be a decent way to begin your transition in to retirement while maintaining you income level. But you need…
Some Statistics on Fighting Fraud in Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid
The National Review’s Kevin Williamson examines the issue of fraud in federal benefit programs, particularly focusing on Medicare and Medicaid. Although he uses the unfortunate term “entitlement” frequently in the article, his assessment of the situation is worth the read.…
Social Security Overpayments–Guess Who’s on the Hook!
If Social Security makes a mistake and pays you a higher benefit than you’ve actually earned, it’s their mistake. But, under current law, they can–and will–exact re-payment from you when the mistake is found (even decades later!) Syndicated columnist Laurence Kotlikoff illustrates a…
Social Security Survivor Benefits–The Value Cannot be Understated
Death, unfortunately, is a fact of life. And if a worker providing for the well-being of a family suffers an untimely death, it’s comforting to know that Social Security provides a measure of benefits to surviving family members. This post…
Social Security and Independence–Perfect Together!
It’s that time of the year–Fourth of July Weekend–when American’s thoughts turn to our country’s independence, with July 4 celebrations commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. And amid all of the thoughts we have about the meaning of independence,…
Social Security: A Primer on the Fundamentals
Social Security has implications for all of us, but especially for younger folks. While those at or nearing retirement age have a keen interest in the benefits available to them, the Millennial Generation (those with birth dates from the early…